Vice President Dick Cheney is going to have surgery for an aneurysm.

Cheney's representative has confirmed that he will undergo surgery to treat an aneurysm in the artery behind his right knee. The surgery will probably take place next weekend.

This type of aneurysm is a lot less dangerous than an aneurysm in the brain or abdomen.

The representative said that the aneurysm was discovered earlier this year during a routine checkup and now it has to be fixed.

The procedure will be performed under local anesthesia, but Cheney will be in the hospital for a few days.

An aneurysm is a weakening or bulge in an artery, which could rupture and bleed. When it is in the leg, it may cause a pulsating lump behind the knee and the leg may become swollen or blue.

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