<div id="subtitle">Argentina's ex-President Nestor Kirchner undergoes emergency surgery on carotid artery</div><div><p>Former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner underwent emergency surgery Sunday after showing symptoms of carotid artery disease, the presidency said.</p><p>Kirchner "presented this morning symptoms caused by disease in his right carotid artery that requires surgical treatment," said Dr. Marcelo Ballesteros, deputy director of the Presidential Medical Unit.</p><p>Kirchner's wife, current President Cristina Fernandez, was in the hospital with him, according to local media.</p><p>Kirchner, 59, served as president in 2003-2007 and has all but declared his candidacy to succeed his wife in 2011.</p><p>No more details were immediately released about his condition and the surgery.</p><p>Carotid artery disease usually refers to the narrowing of the main arteries that carry blood from the heart to the brain. These arteries can thicken with fatty substances and deposits of cholesterol known as plaque, slowing the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and increasing the risk of a stroke.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68651190&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

Copyright 2010  <a href="http://www.ap.org">AP News</a></div></div>