Reports of a second brain surgery for Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richard have alarmed fans of Britain's rock 'n' roll legend worldwide.
The New Zealand Herald reported Tuesday that Monday's operation in Auckland actually involved removing a portion of the 62-year-old Richards' skull.
Richards underwent a craniotomy, in which holes were drilled in his skull and a portion was removed, giving doctors at Ascot Hospital access to blood clots in the brain -- the result of Richards' fall from a coconut tree in Fiji, the newspaper said.
Sources also revealed Richards underwent surgery April 28 to stop bleeding in his skull but he later passed out and was plagued by severe headaches.
Doctors are concerned about possible brain damage, the Herald said.
The newspaper said the lack of information being publicly released has fans worldwide clamoring for news of the rock star's true condition.
The official word after the accident was that the rocker suffered a "minor concussion."
© Copyright 2006 by United Press International
