“Very Difficult Patient”: Surgeon Testifies in Maradona Death Trial

A neurosurgeon who supervised Diego Maradona’s brain surgery has testified in the trial of seven health professionals accused of criminal negligence over the Argentine football legend’s death.

Rodolfo Benvenuti described Maradona as a “very difficult patient” who was “defiant” and wanted to leave the clinic as soon as possible after surgery.

“He was a very difficult patient,” Benvenuti recalled. “He wanted to leave the clinic as soon as possible after the surgery and was not going to accept any hospitalization other than home care.”

Benvenuti said he struggled to convince Maradona to undergo a CT scan before the surgery. Despite his concerns, Benvenuti believed Maradona’s condition required daily assessment by a doctor.

However, evidence presented in court showed that the medical team had only scheduled weekly doctor’s visits, with one visit failing to take place due to Maradona’s reluctance to be seen.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, due to heart failure and acute pulmonary edema while recovering at a private home in the Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre.

The trial centers around whether the decision to allow Maradona to convalesce at home instead of a medical facility endangered his life.

The defendants face prison terms of between eight and 25 years if convicted of “homicide with possible intent.” The trial, which began on March 11, is set to continue until July.