Diego Maradona was in recovery after successful surgery to treat a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain, the former World Cup winner’s doctor said.
The operation was to address the clot, often caused by a head injury, which can put pressure on the brain.
“I was able to evacuate the haematoma successfully and Diego tolerated the surgery very well,” Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s neurosurgeon and personal physician, told reporters outside the clinic where dozens of fans were gathered.
“The steps now are observation, but it is controlled. It will depend on how he does. It is not highly complex but it is still brain surgery,” Luque added, saying the procedure had taken about 80 minutes.
The intervention was potentially risky because of the Argentina legend’s delicate general health, though Luque earlier said the procedure was “routine surgery” and that Maradona had been “lucid” and understood and agreed with the procedure.
Maradona was admitted to the Ipensa clinic in La Plata, Argentina, on Monday for anaemia and dehydration, before being transferred to Olivos Clinic in Buenos Aires province.
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Around 50 fans who had gathered in front of the Olivos Clinic, in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, celebrated when reports of the successful outcome started to emerge, chanting: “Diego, Diego!”
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
