1.   Beyond that, he argued, there is enormous political and psychological pressure on Russian surgeons to save Yeltsin, which may hurt their performance.

2.   But in total, Russian surgeons perform far fewer bypass operations, particularly the complex ones, than do surgeons in many other countries.

3.   President Yeltsin has insisted that his heart operation will be performed in Russia by qualified Russian surgeons.

4.   Playing to nationalist sentiment, Yeltsin has insisted that his heart operation will be performed in Russia by qualified Russian surgeons.

5.   Yet a good Russian surgeon can take a hot plate, boil water and sterilize instruments on it and operate without a flaw.

6.   Yet Dr. Michael DeBakey, the American specialist who advised the Russian surgeons who operated on him, has denied that Yeltsin has a serious drinking problem.

7.   Police has detained a Russian pioneer surgeon in Sweden, saying he lacks a residence permit and must be expelled, it was reported here Saturday.

8.   American heart surgery pioneer Dr. Michael DeBakey is advising the Russian surgeons.

9.   Renat Akchurin, a Russian surgeon who performed bypass surgery on Yeltsin, said the ulcer was likely caused by stress.

10.   The top Russian surgeons who invited DeBakey are now talking about delaying the operation because of related health concerns.