First Lady resting after successful surgery

WASHINGTON (CNN) - First lady Laura Bush was "resting comfortably at the White House" Saturday following a successful surgery to relieve pinched nerves in her neck, according to a statement from her press secretary, Sally McDonough.

McDonough said the 2 1/2-hour procedure was conducted at the George Washington University Hospital by a team led by Dr. Anthony Caputy, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and co-director of the Neurological Institute. Dr. Richard Tubb, U.S. Air Force brigadier general and physician to the president, consulted in the procedure, she said.

The procedure, called a posterior cervical foraminotomy, was described as "minimally invasive."

McDonough said the first lady spoke with President Bush, who was aboard Air Force One on his way back from Australia, after the surgery. Bush attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney.