Raleigh, North Carolina, — According to a statement from the governor's office, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster had minor elective knee surgery on Thursday morning to address an injury he had two years ago while playing tennis.
According to his office, 76-year-old McMaster tore his meniscus in 2022 while playing tennis with his wife Peggy McMaster. He is the third-oldest governor in the nation.
Correcting a cartilage injury" was the stated reason for the treatment, according to the governor's orthopedist Dr. Jeffrey Guy.
While McMaster was under general anesthesia for the approximately 30-minute procedure, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette temporarily assumed responsibility for executive action. If the governor of South Carolina is temporarily incapacitated, the lieutenant governor is authorized by the constitution to assume the role of governor in times of emergency.
The governor's administration announced the surgery to her on Wednesday. According to Guy, McMaster is anticipated to have "no post-procedure limitations" and will be able to resume his regular routine by Thursday afternoon.
A kind of abnormal pulse, atrial fibrillation, was corrected for McMaster during a little operation in December. Following thorough testing, his cardiologist, Dr. Amy Rawl Epps, stated that his heart seemed to be functioning normally.
In April 2022, he also had a less invasive treatment that lasted just 10 minutes to fix his erratic heartbeat. According to the governor's office, the problem was first identified by doctors while the governor was receiving treatment for the meniscus rupture that required knee surgery in 2024.
After defeating former U.S. Representative Joe Cunningham in reelection in 2022, McMaster is now serving his second and last term.
View for more updates