GEORGE CLOONEY - CLOONEY GIVEN 'SPINAL CAP' SURGERY

Superstar GEORGE CLOONEY is in the last stages of recovery after suffering severe headaches brought on by fluid leaking out of his spinal column.

Clooney injured his back while filming upcoming movie SYRIANA, and started getting agonising headaches after doctors operated on his neck.

It then took a while for Clooney's condition to be successfully diagnosed, at which point doctors performed 'spinal cap' surgery. The star, who had to wear a neck brace for a while, has now nearly fully recovered.

Clooney's publicist STAN ROSENFIELD tells website PAGESIX.COM, "He was getting tests and the doctors were saying, 'There's nothing wrong with you,' but he was having horrible headaches. He was in excruciating pain."

And, so bad was Clooney's discomfort, he was forced to pull out of promotional duties for sequel OCEAN'S TWELVE.

Rosenfield adds, "He was supposed to leave for New York on 28 November (04), but he couldn't. And he was supposed to leave for Europe on 8 December (04). He actually drove to the airport, and said, 'Guys, I can't do it.'"