The Associated Press

U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin's husband was listed in critical condition Wednesday after undergoing surgery to help prevent "life-threatening bleeding," Cubin's office said.

Dr. Frederick "Fritz" Cubin is being treated at the Wyoming Medical Center, where he had been hospitalized for more than a month earlier this year.

"I appreciate all the prayers and well-wishes people continue to send our way," Cubin said in a statement issued through her office. "It goes without saying the support and concern of so many of our friends is invaluable during hard times like this."

Fritz Cubin was recently diagnosed with thrombocytopoenia, a condition in which there is a deficient number of circulating blood platelets, the cells in blood which help blood clot, according to the statement.

While a normal blood platelet count is about 150,000 to 350,000 platelets per microliter of blood, Fritz Cubin's platelet count has plummeted to about 10,000 to 13,000, putting him at "grave risk for massive, life-threatening bleeding," it said.

To treat the condition, doctors performed surgery on Monday in an initial attempt to halt function of his spleen, Cubin's office said.

Two more surgeries will be needed to completely halt his spleen's function, and the procedures are expected to be done in the coming weeks, it said.

The procedure is being performed by an interventional radiologist in phases because medical experts do not feel he would survive surgery to remove the spleen, the office said.

In addition, Fritz Cubin continues to undergo a multi-pronged effort to spur the natural production of blood platelets.

Cubin intends to remain at her husband's side in Casper until his condition significantly improves, her office said.

Cubin's husband has battled an immune disorder for years. He was hospitalized for about five weeks in April and May with pneumonia and a critically low blood count.

* Last we knew: U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin returned to Washington, D.C., after her husband was released from the hospital.

* The latest: Dr. Fritz Cubin is back in the Casper hospital in critical condition.

* What's next: Cubin intends to remain at her husband's side in Casper until his condition significantly improves.]]>