Matthew Perry was reportedly rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after suffering a ruptured bowel.
The Friends actor underwent the operation to repair a potentially life-threatening tear in his gut in Los Angeles on Tuesday and is now recovering.
A representative for the 48-year-old said that Perry “appreciates the concern over his health” but asked for “privacy as he heals.”
A ruptured bowel occurs when a hole forms all the way through the stomach, large bowel or small intestine. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and tenderness, and complications can lead to sepsis which is a life-threatening bacterial infection.
Perry has spoken publicly about his battles with drug addiction and attempts at long-term recovery. He is known to have entered addiction programs for dependence on the painkiller Vicodin in 1997 and 2001.
In 2013, he said he was winning his battle with drug and alcohol addiction.
“Mostly it was drinking, you know, and opiates. I think I was pretty good at hiding it, you know, but eventually people were aware,” he said.
“I honestly recoil. It’s scary to look at [how I was]. I was a sick guy.”
Perry shot to fame in the 1990’s sitcom Friends, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer.
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– Written by Rekha Kulen
