ROME, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Italy's Silvio Berlusconi has been fitted with a pacemaker in a U.S. hospital after suffering a heart scare during a rally last month, and should return to Italy this weekend, his party said on Tuesday.

The 70-year-old former prime minister had the operation at a hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, this week. His party Forza Italia! issued a statement saying subsequent medical checks had "confirmed that the operation was a success".

Neither the hospital nor Berlusconi's aides had confirmed until now that he was having a pacemaker fitted to correct his irregular heartbeat, which doctors said contributed to his collapse on the podium at an opposition rally.

Berlusconi, leader of the centre-right opposition since being narrlowly beaten by centre-left leader Romano Prodi in elections in April, had spent three days in hospital in Italy after the incident.

AlertNet news is provided by

Delicio.us  |   Digg  |   NewsVine  |   Reddit                                                                                  Permalink