Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has undergone emergency surgery to address bleeding in his skull, a condition linked to a fall he suffered at his residence in October, according to a statement from the Hospital Sírio-Libanês in São Paulo.
The procedure, which involved draining a hematoma (a collection of blood), was described as successful and “uneventful,” with President Lula currently recovering in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
The 79-year-old leader initially sought medical attention at Hospital Sírio-Libanês in Brasília on Monday night after experiencing severe headaches.
Following an MRI scan, doctors detected an intracranial hemorrhage, prompting his transfer to the São Paulo facility for urgent surgery.
According to The New York Times, the health issue traces back to an October 19 incident when Lula fell while attempting to stand from a stool at the presidential residence.
The impact left him with a head injury that required several stitches. Since the fall, he had been undergoing regular MRI scans to monitor any signs of internal bleeding.
Medical advice following the fall led to the cancellation of his planned trips to Russia and Azerbaijan for international conferences in October and November. He was also advised to avoid air travel to prevent complications.
“I’m taking preventive medicine. The doctors told me that it’s going to take 20 to 30 days to know the effects of the fall,” President Lula said during a televised interview last month, noting that the blow to his head had been quite severe.
An earlier medical update in November indicated that Lula’s condition was stable, allowing him to resume his regular activities, including air travel.
However, the recent emergency surgery suggests that complications may have arisen despite earlier assurances of his recovery.