1.   He underwent cosmetic surgery and had three nose operations.

2.   He recently had a nose operation to fix the torn cartilage and broken bone in the nasal area on the right side of his face.

3.   In December, Yeltsin spent two weeks in the hospital, where he was said to be recovering from a nose operation.

4.   Strong had thought about having the nose operation done at an outpatient clinic.

5.   The scheduling of his nose operation, if that is all it was, seemed conveniently timed to put him out of the public eye.

6.   Yeltsin undermined his own authority by ordering an offensive against the secessionist Chechen republic a month ago, then disappearing from public view for a minor nose operation.

7.   Yeltsin, hospitalized for what was described as a minor nose operation, did not raise serious questions about whether the plan would work.

8.   His aides have said he was recovering from a minor nose operation.

9.   It also said the long-term results of his nose operation in December are expected to be good.

10.   President Boris Yeltsin had a timely medical problem and was recovering from a nose operation when the tanks rolled into Chechnya.