Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has undergone face surgery to restore his jaw¹ after an attack by a man in 2009, government officials say.

意大利政府官员称，总理贝卢斯科尼将要做脸部整形手术以修复2009年被一男子打伤的下巴。

They say the operation lasted for four hours under general anaesthetic（全身麻醉剂） and was necessary to "reconstitute the anatomy²（解剖） and his ability to chew".

Mr Berlusconi, aged³ 74, was attacked in Milan in December 2009 by a man with a history of psychiatric（精神病学的） problems.

The prime minister was hit with a souvenir（纪念品） model of Milan's cathedral.

'Unfit for trial'

Mr Berlusconi "underwent a maxillofacial（上颌面的） operation with bone transplant and implant⁴", his personal doctor Alberto Zangrillo was quoted as saying in a statement by the prime minister's office.

The statement said the operation was carried out in Milan, without providing any further details.

Mr Berlusconi also suffered a broken nose, broken teeth and gashed⁵ lips during the 2009 attack, which followed a political rally in the northern Italian city. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

But before being driven away, the prime minister climbed up on his chauffeur-driven car to try to show the crowd that he was all right.

The attacker - identified as as Massimo Tartaglia - was later ruled unfit to stand trial on charges of aggravated⁶ assault（加重攻击罪） . A judge said that he was not aware of his actions during the incident.

Mr Tartaglia was ordered to remain under observation for another year in a psychiatric hospital.