Vice President Cheney is scheduled to undergo surgery next weekend to treat an aneurysm in his leg, his spokesman confirmed to Roll Call today.

“The vice president is slated to have an elective surgical procedure to treat an aneurysm in the artery behind the right knee that was discovered earlier this year during a routine checkup,” spokesman Steve Schmidt said.

“It is a condition that needs to be addressed so as not to become a problem over time,” said Schmidt, who declined to say at which hospital the surgery will be performed.

Schmidt said the procedure will be performed with local anesthesia and will involve “a short hospital stay.”

“The vice president will return to work shortly thereafter,” Schmidt said. “More details on the procedure will be made available next week.”

Cheney, 64, had quadruple bypass surgery in 1988 and had a defibrillator implanted in his chest three years ago. He has suffered four heart attacks.