Diego Maradona is lucid, said his doctor (File)
Buenos Aires:
Argentina footballer Diego Maradona will undergo brain surgery for a blood clot in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, his personal doctor has said.
“I’m going to operate on him. It’s a routine operation, he is lucid,” said Leopoldo Luque.
World Cup winner Maradona, 60, was rushed to hospital on Monday for a series of tests after feeling unwell.
A scan revealed the blood clot, which Argentinian media reported was the result of a blow to the head.
Earlier today, Luque claimed Maradona was feeling “much better and anxious to leave” the hospital, but insisted Gimnasia Y Esgrima’s coach suffered from anemia – a lack of iron in her system – and dehydration.
Luque said it left him feeling “very weak, very tired”. After further testing, he was diagnosed with the blood clot.
He must be transferred from a hospital in La Plata, 60 kilometers south of Buenos Aires, to a specialized clinic in the capital.
Luque had previously suggested that Maradona’s lifestyle contributed to her condition.
“He’s an elderly patient with a lot of pressures in his life. It’s a time when we have to help him. It’s very difficult to be Maradona,” Luque said of the star, who celebrated Friday her 60th birthday.
The doctor ruled out any link with the coronavirus pandemic, which is ravaging the South American country, much of which is still confined.
Maradona, who has a history of drug and alcohol abuse and in poor health, is considered at high risk for complications from the coronavirus if infected.
Last week, he began self-isolating for the second time after a bodyguard exhibited symptoms of coronavirus, although he later tested negative.
He briefly joined his players at the club’s training ground on his birthday, but had obvious difficulty walking and had to be helped by his assistants after staying only 30 minutes.
“It breaks my heart to see him like this,” tweeted one of his daughters, Giannina, the next day.
He suffered from two heart attacks in the past and contracted hepatitis.
He has trouble retaining iron due to a gastric bypass surgery he underwent in 2005 to lose 50 kilograms, leaving him prone to anemia, Luque said.
Although he has recovered from a well-documented addiction to hard drugs, Maradona is taking medication in the form of tranquilizers and anxiolytics.
“With a patient on treatment, sometimes hospitalization is used to adjust this drug. It’s good, ”said Luque.
Gimnasia fans have flocked to the La Plata clinic to leave messages of support for the sick icon.
“What he needs the most is the support of the people,” Luque said.
Alongside Brazilian Pelé, who turned 80 last month, Maradona is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
