Brazil's Lula ‘alert,’ had ‘good night’ after surgery: Doctors

MEXICO CITY

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is recovering and in stable condition, the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital in Sao Paulo where the president was admitted reported Wednesday.

Lula was admitted to the hospital late Monday after complaining of a persistent headache. His medical team diagnosed him with an intracranial hemorrhage resulting from a head injury he sustained during an accident at his home Oct. 19.

Lula's doctor at the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital said in a statement that while remaining in intensive care, the Brazilian leader is recuperating well while awaiting further medical tests.

"He progressed well in the immediate postoperative period without complications. He is alert, oriented, talking, and had a good night. The President is still with a drain while awaiting routine follow-up exams," according to the statement that was signed by doctors Luiz Francisco Cardoso and Alvaro Sarkis.

Another of his doctors, Roberto Kalil Filho, told journalists outside the hospital an hour before the statement, that the president 'had a good night' and was in good spirits.

The surgery Lula underwent was a craniotomy -- a procedure to remove part of the skull to access the area affected by hemorrhage and drain the blood.

Shortly after the procedure, Lula's doctor said that the surgery went well without complications and with no lasting effects for the 79-year-old president.

Lula is expected to return to office next week, according to his medical team, although he will remain in intensive care in observation, as is the procedure.