A surgeon who supervised Diego Maradona’s brain surgery has testified that the Argentine football legend was a “very difficult patient” who had to be coaxed into treatment. Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at age 60, while recovering at home from surgery for a blood clot.
Neurosurgeon Rodolfo Benvenuti told the court that he struggled to convince Maradona to have a CT scan before the surgery, describing him as “defiant.” Benvenuti said Maradona wanted to leave the clinic as soon as possible after the surgery and was not willing to accept hospitalization other than home care.
The trial is focusing on the conditions of Maradona’s home care, which prosecutors describe as grossly negligent. The defendants, Maradona’s seven-person medical team, risk prison terms between eight and 25 years if convicted of “homicide with possible intent.”
Maradona’s death was caused by heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs. The trial, which began on March 11, is set to continue until July.
