President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil is in stable condition and recovering in an intensive care unit following emergency surgery to address bleeding in his skull, which doctors believe is related to a fall he experienced at home in October.
The surgery, aimed at draining a hematoma, was described as “uneventful” by the medical team. Mr. Lula is currently at a hospital in São Paulo, where he is expected to remain for the next 48 hours.
Dr. Roberto Kalil, one of the treating physicians, reported that the president is progressing well, stating, “He is now stable, talking normally, eating and will be under observation for the next few days.”
Mr. Lula, 79, was admitted to Hospital SÃrio-Libanês in BrasÃlia on Monday night due to a severe headache and flu-like symptoms. An MRI revealed that he was suffering from an intracranial hemorrhage.
Following the diagnosis, he was transferred to a partner hospital in São Paulo for a two-hour operation. Dr. Kalil confirmed that the surgery did not affect Mr. Lula’s brain function and resulted in “no side effects, no change in movement, absolutely nothing.”
This surgery occurred approximately two months after Mr. Lula fell in a bathroom at the presidential residence while attempting to cut his nails. He received several stitches for a wound on the back of his head from the fall on October 19 and had been undergoing regular MRI exams to monitor for any signs of bleeding.
Dr. Rogério Tuma, another member of the medical team, noted that the type of bleeding experienced by Mr. Lula is not uncommon after head injuries, particularly in older individuals. He explained that such complications can manifest weeks or months after the initial injury.
After the fall, doctors advised Mr. Lula to refrain from air travel, leading to the cancellation of his trips to Russia and Azerbaijan for conferences in October and November. In a television interview last month, he remarked, “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.”
Despite the incident, Mr. Lula has shown no significant signs of impairment in the weeks following his fall. He recently hosted the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, engaging with world leaders, including President Biden, and conducting bilateral discussions with allies.
As of Monday, Mr. Lula was actively fulfilling official duties, signing decrees and taking photographs with his ministers. His doctors anticipate that he will continue to recover in the hospital and may return to BrasÃlia as early as next week, with plans to resume all activities post-recovery.