Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, underwent a second phrenic nerve block procedure on Monday to address persistent hiccups. The procedure, according to his medical team, was successful, and Bolsonaro's condition is stable.

Bolsonaro, a far-right politician, has been hospitalized since Christmas Eve after receiving judicial permission to leave prison for hernia repair surgery. He is currently serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup to overturn the 2022 election results. The hernia operation was deemed successful, but the persistent hiccups, which have plagued him for months, prompted doctors to perform a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure on Saturday to block the phrenic nerve on the right side.

The phrenic nerve controls the diaphragm, the primary muscle involved in breathing. Hiccups are involuntary contractions of the diaphragm, often caused by irritation or stimulation of the phrenic nerve. A phrenic nerve block involves injecting a local anesthetic near the nerve to temporarily block its function, thus stopping the hiccups.

This is the second time Bolsonaro has undergone this procedure. The initial phrenic nerve block, performed on Saturday, provided temporary relief, but the hiccups returned, necessitating the second intervention. The medical team has not released specific details about the cause of Bolsonaro's persistent hiccups.

Bolsonaro's imprisonment stems from his alleged involvement in a plot to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election, which he lost to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He has consistently denied these allegations, claiming they are politically motivated. His legal team has filed appeals seeking his release from prison. The judicial permission granted for his medical treatments highlights the legal complexities surrounding his imprisonment and the balance between his right to healthcare and the ongoing legal proceedings. The next steps in Bolsonaro's medical treatment and legal battles remain to be seen.