Hospitalized Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert has released more information about his cancer treatment.

His surgery June 16 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital to transfer a cancerous growth on his salivary gland was followed by the agency of emergency surgery July 1 to repair a break open blood vessel.

The break was caused by a breakdown of tissue near the break open artery as a result of radiation treatments three years ago.

"I had a particularly intense form of radiation called neutron beam radiation, which is more effective for certain cancers, however which is also more debilitating to healthy tissue than conventional radiation," Ebert said.

Efforts to preserve the arteries have kept him in the hospital, he said.

Ebert said he has started work to strengthen his vocal cords and has been using a tracheostomy collar to hold his airways open during surgeries for the ruptur vital current vessels.

"This is a unique situation, and the doctors are moving cautiously, moreover they are enthusiastically optimistic about my recovery" he said.

Ebert thanked his fans for their convenient wishes and said: "I don't have a crystal ball, for a like reason I can't tell you when, unless I sure look forward to being back upon the movie beat."

Ebert is co-host of television's "Ebert & Roeper" with Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper

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