After a painful several weeks, "American Idol" winner Phillip Phillips has undergone surgery to remove massive kidney stones that sidelined him during his run on the Fox competition.
"Surgery went well, he’s resting and will be ready for the 'Idol' tour kick off in July!" Leslie Fradkin, a representative for "Idol" producers 19 Entertainment, tells THR. She had no further comment.
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The 21-year-old Georgia native, who managed to beat Jessica Sanchez in the May 23 finale despite his illness, had an operation that lasted six and a half hours on Wednesday, according to TMZ.
Philips opted to postpone surgery until 'Idol's' 11th season wrapped up; he secretly went under the knife a whopping eight times while on the show to treat a buildup of kidney stones. Caused by a congenital condition, the stones have rendered his right kidney largely ineffective, prompting him to temporarily rely on a stint and the need for an operation that would bring about a more permanent solution.
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As previously reported, Phillips had scheduled the surgery only a month before the latest cast of the Fox series embark on a 45-date U.S. tour. A rep forPhillips said he's still a lock for the July 6 kick-off in Detroit.
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