On eve of shoulder surgery, senator is deemed fit specimen

With Senator John F. Kerry set for minor shoulder surgery in Boston tomorrow, his campaign yesterday released portions of his medical records that detailed a robust, if somewhat accident-prone, 60-year-old man with no threatening long-term health problems.

The records, including results from a physical exam in February, indicated Kerry remains free of cancer after prostate surgery last year, his most pressing ongoing health concern.

A blood test from the same checkup, however, did show elevated levels of C-reactive protein, which indicates he could eventually be at risk for cardiovascular disease.

His personal physician, Dr. Gerald J. Doyle, wrote yesterday that Kerry was in "excellent health" in a letter released to reporters.

Kerry will undergo repair of a tendon in his right shoulder tomorrow at Massachusetts General Hospital, a one-hour procedure involving a two-inch incision that will keep him off the campaign trail for four days. He will be unable to shake hands for about three weeks and lift babies for up to eight weeks, which may cramp Kerry's glad-handing political style.

Despite the looming surgery, Kerry spent last week on the Idaho ski slopes on a vacation that caused pain in his shoulder, according to Dr. Bertram Zarins, head of sports medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital who will perform the surgery.

Political specialists said the four days spent recovering from the surgery would do little harm to Kerry's political fortunes, particularly with the allegations by former federal terrorism official Richard A. Clarke -- that the Bush administration did not take Al Qaeda seriously enough -- dominating political discussion.

"I don't think most people are seeing much beyond Clarke and the 9-11 commission right now," said Saint Anslem College political scientist Dante Scala. "It appears that it will work out fortuitously for Kerry."

Mass. General surgeons will repair a tear in Kerry's tendon from the muscle that powers shoulder rotation. The tear, Zarins said, occurred during an Iowa bus ride in January. The bus abruptly stopped, forcing Kerry, who was standing, to awkwardly brace himself.

Kerry will spend four days in Boston recovering, tending to paperwork, phone calls, and physical therapy.

"Within two or three weeks he'll be shaking hands," said Zarins, who is the team doctor for the Boston Bruins and New England Patriots. "He'll have difficulty raising his hands over his head several weeks beyond that."

During the procedure, Kerry will be under general anesthesia for an hour and may require narcotic painkillers for several days, said Zarins. He also said that additional damage in Kerry's shoulder area may be uncovered during surgery.

Kerry's cholesterol, kidney function, liver function, red blood cell count, and metabolism all checked out, according to documents provided by Doyle. But the records detailed a series of sporting mishaps: A 1992 bike accident broke his collarbone and some ribs, while another sports-related injury necessitated three knee surgeries. The documents also showed almost undetectable levels of prostate antigens, evidence the prostate gland removal procedure Kerry underwent last year vanquished his prostate cancer. He will, however, continue to require regular cancer screening tests, his physicians have said.

Patrick Healy of the Globe staff contributed to this report from Sacramento. Raja Mishra can be reached at rmishra@globe.com.