Is Fidel Castro Deteriorating Or Recovering?

Featured Article
Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Also Included In: Seniors / Aging
Article Date: 16 Jan 2007 - 14:00 PDT


Reports are coming in that Fidel Castro, Cuba's leader, has had three failed operations, while others say he is recuperating. A Spanish doctor, Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido, who examined Castro last month, reiterated today that Castro is recovering slowly.

According to El Pais, a respectable Spanish newspaper, Castro has a very serious infection in the large intestine and his prognosis is 'grave'.

Getting information from Cuban authorities is impossible. Most Cubans, unless they have access to external media, have not been informed about these latest reports.

According to El Pais:

-- Last summer Castro suffered serious intestinal bleeding which needed urgent surgery
-- Some of his large intestine was removed, and the colon connected to the rectum
-- He then developed peritonitis - the membrane that covers the digestive organs became inflamed
-- He then underwent another operation to drain the infected area
-- The rest of his large intestine was removed
-- He then developed inflammation of the bile duct...and the gall bladder (cholecystitis)

Fidel Castro is 80 years old.

-- Una cadena de actuaciones médicas fallidas agravó el estado de Castro (A series of failed medical interventions agravate Castro's condition) - El Pais (in Spanish)

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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