Doctors say Maradona's surgery before death was unnecessary

Buenos Aires: Medical professionals testified on Thursday that Argentine football legend Diego Maradona should not have undergone brain surgery just weeks before his death in 2020, calling the procedure unnecessary and avoidable.

Testifying during the ongoing trial into alleged medical negligence surrounding Maradona’s death, neurologist Martín Cesarini stated that the surgery was not warranted. Referring to a CT scan presented in court, Cesarini said, “It was not an emergency for surgery.”

The procedure, carried out on November 3, 2020, was intended to treat a subdural hematoma. However, multiple doctors are now asserting that a more conservative approach would have been appropriate.

Another neurologist, Guillermo Pablo Burry, told the court he had advised neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque — one of the seven defendants in the case — against the operation, suggesting instead that Maradona’s condition be closely monitored. “I told Luque that surgery was not necessary,” Burry testified.

Both Cesarini and Burry had examined Maradona at a Buenos Aires clinic where he was taken for a medical check-up in early November 2020. Despite their recommendations, Luque chose to proceed with surgery and had Maradona transferred to another facility.

Dr. Flavio Tunessi, also involved in Maradona’s care, supported this account, saying, “Luque told me that for him it was a surgical procedure and he decided to transfer him.”

Maradona, revered worldwide for leading Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986, died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60. He was receiving home-based care on the outskirts of Buenos Aires following his surgery.

Prosecutors allege that Luque and six other medical professionals — including a psychiatrist, psychologist, and nursing staff — failed to provide adequate care during Maradona's final days. They are accused of negligence that may have contributed to his death.

The high-profile trial continues to draw public attention in Argentina and beyond, as fans seek accountability in the tragic loss of one of football’s most iconic figures. AP