Naomi Campbell leaves Brazilian hospital by helicopter

SAO PAULO, Feb 29, 2008 (AFP) - British supermodel Naomi Campbell on Friday February 29th left a Brazilian hospital where she had an ovarian cyst removed, taking a helicopter to escape the lenses of gathered media, an AFP photographer said.

The helicopter carrying Campbell, 37, flew away from the landing pad of the Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo for an unknown destination.

The hospital issued a short statement saying the model had "recovered well" from surgery Monday to remove the cyst and was healthy enough to check out.

Campbell had been reportedly uncomfortable with the media attention focused on her during her convalescence, with hospital staff saying she had been rude and ordered the telephone in her room cut off to protect her privacy.

The doctors who had looked after her, gynecological surgeon Jose Aristodemo Pinotti and infectious diseases specialist David Uip, had spoken to reporters about her operation, saying it had been an "emergency".

Her publicist in Europe had confirmed the procedure and said it was to excise an ovarian cyst.

Campbell is a regular visitor to Brazil, and often stays at the Sao Paulo home of a wealthy female friend.

She is rumored to be romantically linked with a millionaire Brazilian businessman, Marcus Elias, who was constantly at her side in hospital.