Tan Mom Patricia Krentcil is on the mend after a very risky surgical procedure ... and she's gearing up to get back on the campaign trail as she runs for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida.
Tan Mom's campaign manager, Adam Barta tells TMZ ... she was admitted to a hospital in Boca Raton last Monday for bypass surgery to remove the stent separating her pancreas and liver.
We're told Tan Mom previously had the stent inserted because of her pancreatitis, and when doctors removed it this time, her organs had major swelling and caused her a ton of pain.
What's more, we're told doctors discovered gallstones stuck by her liver during the surgery ... and she's going to have to go back under the knife in the future to address the issue.
Tan Mom's camp characterized the procedure as "very risky" for her ... and we're told she's recovering at home and recently regained her ability to walk.
We're told Tan Mom's hoping next week she'll be feeling well enough to make her scheduled campaign stops as she runs for one of Florida's seats in the U.S. Senate. She's filming a new campaign video next week with Dr. Miami, who did her makeover in her reality series, "Tan to 10."
Tan Mom's made healthcare one of the most important issues of her campaign ... and she's got some recent experience dealing with the system.