Washington Post Staff Writers

Friday, February 20, 2009; 3:18 PM

D.C. Council member Marion Barry's kidney transplant surgery began on time at 2:30 p.m., after doctors worked to lower his potassium level this morning to clear him for the operation, Ron Harris, a spokesman for Howard University Hospital, said.

"Earlier today, because his potassium level was up, he underwent dialysis to get it down," Harris said.

Potassium is removed by the kidneys or by dialysis. If Barry's potassium level had not gone down, doctors would have had to postpone the surgery, Harris said. "We were checking and double-checking," he said.

Barry, 72, who has been on dialysis for nearly three months, is receiving a kidney from a 47-year-old woman, described only as a family friend.

Doctors said the surgery is expected to last six hours.

Clive O. Callender, founder and director of the hospital's transplant center, is leading the operation. He has performed more than 500 kidney transplants since 1971.
Several council members said they were wishing Barry success with the surgery and a speedy recovery. "The Wilson Building just isn't the same without him," council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) said in a statement.

Barry has scheduled a news conference for tomorrow morning. The Democratic council member has represented Ward 8 since he was elected in 2004. He was re-elected by an overwhelming majority in November. He revealed his health troubles last week when prosecutors were asking a judge to send him to jail for not filing his 2007 taxes on time. Barry, who was sentenced to probation for tax troubles three years ago, has since filed his taxes. A hearing has not been set on the prosecutors' request.