'Hunger Games' star undergoes emergency heart surgery after health scare
"Hunger Games" star Leven Rambin had a close call with her health.
The Emmy-nominated actress, who played Glimmer in the dystopian sci-fi film, revealed she underwent emergency surgery during a procedure for her endometriosis in a TikTok video shared Friday, July 10.
"I had a Netflix job I needed to be at in two weeks, and my doctor said I would be fine," Rambin wrote alongside footage of herself lying in a hospital bed. "I woke up after surgery to many doctors and surgeons telling me they 'saved my life' after the doctor accidentally nicked my aorta."
Endometriosis, a chronic gynecological condition, occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in places outside the uterus, such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bowel, bladder and pelvic lining.
Rambin, 36, wrote in the video's on-screen caption that she had a laparoscopy to treat her endometriosis. According to Cleveland Clinic, a laparoscopy is a "minimally invasive procedure" used to treat mild to severe cases by making a small incision in the abdomen in order to insert a laparoscope, a tiny tube with a camera.
"They immediately performed repair surgery and [a] blood transfusion," Rambin continued. "I'm on every medication under the sun. My mom flew in."
The aorta is a cane-shaped artery that helps deliver blood throughout the body, according to Cleveland Clinic. It's located in the lower-left part of the heart and passes through the chest and abdomen. Several pairs of smaller blood vessels branch off from the aorta, allowing the vessel to supply blood to organs, muscles and nerves.
Rambin added that she was later diagnosed with stage 1 endometriosis, as well as polyps, which are abnormal growths in body tissue that can become cancerous, per Healthline. As a result of her health issues, Rambin said she was forced to "quit" her Netflix series.
In a follow-up post, the "All My Children" alum opened up about the aftermath of her health scare, including a conversation with her surgeon. Rambin said after she woke up and was informed of the issue with her aorta, she asked the doctor if the incident was "your fault," to which she replied, "yes."
"I said, "Aren't you a specialist?' And she said, 'I'm human,'" Rambin added. "I'm pissed obviously, but I understand that it was a risk, like anything, and it was a one-in-a-million freak accident. I'm still processing this."
In a statement to USA TODAY Monday, July 13, a representative for Rambin said the actress's recovery will "take time."
"She has been told how unusual this complication is and how she must have had an angel watching over her. She likes to think her dad was in heaven clamping her aorta, just in the nick of time," Rambin's spokesperson said. "Right now, her focus is on making a full, smooth recovery, and she is deeply grateful for the love and support she's received. Her heart goes out to all women who struggle with endometriosis and all its repercussions."
Despite the medical ordeal, Rambin has managed to inject some humor into her recovery.
The actress, who previously appeared on the surgical drama "Grey's Anatomy," shared a video of herself on Sunday, July 12, playfully dancing while responding to a commenter's question about her return to the show.
"Me talking about returning to 'Grey's' and then ending up in the ICU for 4 days," Rambin wrote.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Contributing: Daryl Austin, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Hunger Games' star undergoes emergency heart surgery after health scare
Reporting by Edward Segarra, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 12:21 PM.