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Menino remains in hospital with further back complications

After spending weeks at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, doctors said Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has been successfully treated for a viral infection and a blood clot but will remain in the hospital for complications with his back.

Dr. Dale Adler, vice chairman of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said Menino’s condition has fluctuated since his admission to the hospital in October, according to a New England Cable News video of the press conference held Tuesday.

“It was clear that he had some kind of infection in addition to a blog clot in his leg that had seemed like it had traveled as well to his lungs,” Adler said.

Adler said the focus of medical investigation is on Menino’s back, which he injured while undergoing treatment for his other complications.

“Very recently, the back, instead of going in a good direction with him getting better and better, started to hurt more, and that has prompted some more investigations,” he said.

Menino, after returning early from a vacation in Italy, was hospitalized due to a virus on Oct. 26 as the city braced for Hurricane Sandy.

A spokeswoman from the mayor’s press office who asked to remain anonymous confirmed that Menino had his blood clot and virus treated and said a compression fracture in Menino’s back had been causing discomfort.

But Menino is doing well and feeling better every day, she said.

“He continues to run the city and be engaged in decision-making from the hospital,” she said.

Menino stayed in the hospital throughout Election Day and also remained active during the approach of Hurricane Sandy, making the decision to close all Boston Public Schools on Oct. 29.

Adler said Menino has been in the hospital for such an extended period of time because of doctors’ decision to appropriately rehabilitate him, according to a video of the conference provided by WCVB Boston.

“There was a period of time where we were trying to figure out, ‘what is the best way to let him get some rehabilitation?’” Adler said. “We decided maybe the best way would be for him to stay right here … Now, in terms of his back feeling worse, he needs to be in the hospital.”

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