Castro had 3 failed surgeries, paper says
HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban leader Fidel Castro is in serious condition after a series of three failed operations on his large intestine for diverticulitis, or inflamed bulge in the intestine, complicated by infection, the Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Monday
Diverticulitis is a condition in which pouch-like bulges in the wall of the intestine become inflamed or infected.
In the first operation to remove part of Castro's large intestine, Cuban surgeons decided to connect the colon to the rectum to avoid a colostomy or opening in the abdomen to get rid of stool, the newspaper said.
But the short-cut failed, releasing feces into the abdomen that caused another peritonitis, the report said.
A second operation to clean and drain the infected area and perform a colostomy was also a failure, the paper said.
Castro underwent a third operation to implant a Korean-made prosthesis, but it did not work and was replaced by one brought from Spain, according to El Pais.
When Spanish surgeon Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido visited Castro in late December, Cuban doctors were considering yet another operation, the paper said.
"The patient required drainage for more than half a liter of fluids a day, which is causing him a severe loss of nutrients," the paper reported.
HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban leader Fidel Castro is in serious condition after a series of three failed operations on his large intestine for diverticulitis, or inflamed bulge in the intestine, complicated by infection, the Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Monday
Diverticulitis is a condition in which pouch-like bulges in the wall of the intestine become inflamed or infected.
In the first operation to remove part of Castro's large intestine, Cuban surgeons decided to connect the colon to the rectum to avoid a colostomy or opening in the abdomen to get rid of stool, the newspaper said.
But the short-cut failed, releasing feces into the abdomen that caused another peritonitis, the report said.
A second operation to clean and drain the infected area and perform a colostomy was also a failure, the paper said.
Castro underwent a third operation to implant a Korean-made prosthesis, but it did not work and was replaced by one brought from Spain, according to El Pais.
When Spanish surgeon Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido visited Castro in late December, Cuban doctors were considering yet another operation, the paper said.
"The patient required drainage for more than half a liter of fluids a day, which is causing him a severe loss of nutrients," the paper reported.
