Silvio Berlusconi to undergo surgery to replace aortic valve

Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi is suffering a serious case "aortic insufficiency" and will undergo surgery to replace the valve, doctors said.

Mr Berlusconi's personal doctor, Alberto Zangrillo, told reporters on Thursday that the 79-year-old billionaire businessman will be "better than before" after the four-hour surgery, which will take place before the middle of next week.

Mr Berlusconi, who has a pacemaker, reported heart irregularities on Sunday from Rome and Dr Zangrillo advised him to return to Milan to be checked.

Dr Zangrillo said a team of doctors at Milan's San Raffaele clinic ran a number of tests and diagnosed a serious case of aortic insufficiency, which describes the leaking of the aortic valve of the heart causing blood to flow in the reverse direction.