Former President Pranab Mukherjee critical after brain surgery to remove clot
India

Former President Pranab Mukherjee critical after brain surgery to remove clot

Pranab Mukherjee, who tested positive for Covid Monday, was admitted to Army Research and Referral Hospital for the surgery. He is on a ventilator and under observation.

   
Pranab Mukherjee

File image of former President of India Pranab Mukherjee | Photo: Twitter

New Delhi: The condition of former President Pranab Mukherjee, who underwent a surgery to remove a clot in his brain Monday, is critical, ThePrint has learnt.

Mukherjee, who had tested positive for Covid-19 earlier Monday, had taken a fall in his bathroom Sunday night. The surgery took place at the Army Research and Referral Hospital, sources close to him said.

The surgery, the sources said, was successful. Mukherjee is currently on ventilator and under observation, they added. He had tested Covid-positive during a routine pre-surgery test.

“The former President had a fall in the bathroom late yesterday (Sunday) night and suffered injuries on the forehead and temple. There were some neurological issues that developed. He was brought to Army R&R Hospital in the morning. Though no skull fracture was there, CT scan suggested a big clot that needed to be removed surgically,” a source said.

“They had to perform an emergency surgery on him. It was a major surgery. The surgery has now been completed. He is on a ventilator and critical,” the source added.

Not clear how he contracted Covid

The above mentioned source said that it is apparent that the clot had happened because of the fall. However, it is not clear when and how he contracted the viral infection and whether that had anything to do with the fall.

The hospital is expected to start issuing bulletins from Tuesday morning.

Mukherjee, who is 86-years-old, was the President of India between 2012 and 2017. A known hypertensive with a history of heart disease, Mukherjee has been taking all precautions during the pandemic, including limiting meetings. 

After turning out to be Covid-positive, Mukherjee tweeted: “On a visit to the hospital for a separate procedure, I have tested positive for Covid-19 today. I request the people who came in contact with me in the last week, to please self-isolate and get tested for Covid-19. #CitizenMukherjee.” 


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