Saudi King May Need Surgery

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia's King Fahd was in critical condition with a gallbladder infection Monday and might have to undergo surgery, hospital officials said.

An American medical team was monitoring the condition of Fahd, who is in his mid-70s, and was expected to decide shortly whether to remove the gallbladder, said the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. The surgery was considered risky because of Fahd's age and frail health.

Meanwhile, the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Saudi capital of Riyadh stopped all visits and calls and barred relatives and family members from seeing the monarch.

A royal court statement issued Monday said the king was to undergo hospital tests after suffering from a gallbladder infection, but gave no information on his condition.