Lionel Richie has been hospitalised again while receiving treatment for atrial fibrillation.
TMZ first reported the 77-year-old singer’s admission and said doctors were performing an AFib ablation. A representative later confirmed the procedure to Metro, describing it as common.
The latest admission follows Lionel Richie’s intensive care stay in St Louis at the end of August. It is his third hospital admission in recent months, following separate health scares in June and August.
Lionel Richie ‘doing great’ after AFib procedure
The representative said: “Lionel underwent a common procedure for atrial fibrillation (AFib).”
The representative added: “The doctor said everything went perfectly.”
The statement continued: “Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon.”
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat. TMZ described the ablation as minimally invasive and not considered a major procedure.
An ablation uses thin, flexible tubes inserted through a blood vessel and guided towards the heart. High-energy electrical pulses create scars which block faulty electrical pathways.
Lionel Richie cancels three tour shows
As a result, three dates on Lionel’s tour with Earth, Wind & Fire have been cancelled.
The Sing a Song All Night Long tour was next due in San Francisco this Saturday. Following dates in Chicago and Columbus were scheduled for September 30 and October 2 respectively.
The shows form part of his joint tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. The cancellations give Lionel time to recover before his planned stage return.
Lionel Richie’s earlier hospital scares
During Lionel Richie’s June concert scare, he became dizzy while performing in St Paul. He sat down during Dancing on the Ceiling and joked about feeling tired.
The show was eventually cut short, and paramedics took him to hospital by ambulance as a precaution. He postponed two performances before returning on June 30.
On July 4, Lionel thanked fans for their support and told Instagram followers he was doing well.
At the end of August, Lionel was admitted to intensive care in St Louis after another concert. He underwent cardiac tests there for three days.
People reported on September 2 that he had returned home to Los Angeles and was doing great. The singer was seen in public again shortly before the current procedure was announced.
He attended dinner at Mr Chow in Beverly Hills with his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi. Lionel smiled and gave photographers a thumbs-up outside the restaurant.
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