Reuven Rivlin returns home after receiving pacemaker

77-year-old president undergoes procedure to monitor cardiac arrhythmia, expected to resume full duties next week

President Reuven Rivlin returned home Friday morning after 24 hours in hospital to be fitted with a pacemaker.

The 77-year-old president was hospitalized at Shaare Zedek Medical Center after his doctors recently discovered cardiac arrhythmia during a routine checkup. The pacemaker will allow for greater monitoring capability.

The operation was performed by Dr. Aharon Medina, head of the hospital’s electrocardiography department. Rivlin was not sedated for the procedure.

The president thanked all the hospital team for their care, and conveyed his appreciation to the public for their concern and kind wishes.

He will return to his regular work schedule after the weekend.

Pacemakers are often fitted in cases where patients have very slow heartbeats, below 60 beats per minute.

Also on Thursday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot was hospitalized in Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva as doctors removed a cancerous growth on his prostate discovered late last year, the army said.

He will be hospitalized for the next few days, before being released to complete his recuperation at home, the army said.