

Chris Fox, CP24.com





An outspoken city councillor is out of hospital and hopes to return to work soon after he underwent four emergency surgeries, his office confirms.

York West Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti checked into hospital on March 27 after he discovered that his eye had swollen up after undergoing routine sinus surgery.

Upon closer examination, doctors found that Mammoliti had an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein behind his eye known as a dural fistula.

The condition can cause strokes and as a result doctors chose to operate on Mammoliti immediately, conducting a total of four operations including a brain angioplasty.

Mammoliti was released from hospital on Tuesday and is now recovering at home.

"I want to thank the staff and nurses of St. Michael's Hospital for saving my life,” Mammoliti said in a statement issued Thursday. “Doctors Spears and Vanek and the whole team of doctors were the ultimate professionals. I also wish to thank all the nurses who cared for me as well as the physiotherapists.”

It is not known when Mammoliti will be able to return to work full time, but a statement from his office suggests that he will attend “important council votes,” provided he is cleared to do so by a doctor.

Mammoliti is one of only a handful of councillors to publicly declare their support for building a downtown casino and Mayor Rob Ford will need his vote when the matter goes before council, perhaps as early as May 7.

"As far as the casino is concerned - deal me in,” Mammoliti said in his statement. “It's not every day a city has a $4 billion investment in a parcel of land that is not generating income close to what the finished product (the casino) will do and bring, and the initial numbers I've seen look good.”

Earlier this week, city manager Joe Pennachetti released a report that suggested a downtown casino could generate up to $148 million in annual revenue for the city.

That report was widely panned by casino opponents, including Coun. Adam Vaughan who called it “pure fantasy.”

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