--- title: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Undergoes Heart Surgery description: After experiencing discomfort, the 81-year-old justice was taken to the hospital where a blockage was discovered. canonical: https://time.com/3607422/ruth-bader-ginsburg-heart-surgery/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-11-26T15:48:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T02:24:37.402Z article:section: Politics og:title: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Undergoes Heart Surgery og:description: The 81-year-old justice felt discomfort while working out, so she went to the hospital, where a stent was implanted in her coronary artery. og:url: https://time.com/3607422/ruth-bader-ginsburg-heart-surgery/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltab4286f912fe3005/69869a0fd0b6f20979305190/182970838.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 6144 og:image:height: 3456 og:image:alt: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Undergoes Heart Surgery twitter:description: The 81-year-old justice felt discomfort while working out, so she went to the hospital, where a stent was implanted in her coronary artery. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltab4286f912fe3005/69869a0fd0b6f20979305190/182970838.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Ruth Bader Ginsburg Undergoes Heart Surgery > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=6f388f0a-26c7-41d2-a022-f854613b74d5&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Nov 26, 2014 3:48 PM UTC  Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, celebrating her 20th anniversary on the bench, is photographed in the West conference room at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2013\. (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, celebrating her 20th anniversary on the bench, is photographed in the West conference room at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Friday, August 30, 2013\. (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post—The Washington Post/Getty Images by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Nov 26, 2014 3:48 PM UTC Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent heart surgery on Wednesday. The 81-year-old justice is said to be “resting comfortably” and will likely be released within the next 48 hours, according to a Supreme Court release. Ginsburg had a stent — a small mesh tube that supports narrow or weak arteries — implanted in her right coronary artery. She reportedly felt discomfort during exercise on Tuesday and was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center where a blockage was discovered. This is the latest health issue for Ginsburg, who was treated for cancer in 1999 and 2009\. The justice has been called on to retire by many on the left who want her to give up her seat so President Obama can appoint a left-leaning successor, though with the Senate soon in Republican hands many think it’s likely too late. At any rate, Ginsburg isn’t planning on going anywhere soon. In an interview with [_Elle_](http://www.elle.com/life-love/society-career/supreme-court-justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg) in September, Ginsburg quashed rumors that she had plans to step down. “As long as I can do the job full steam…. I think I’ll recognize when the time comes that I can’t any longer. 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