MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

CFK remains hospitalized with postoperative complication after emergency appendectomy

The former president spent Christmas Eve at the clinic, and there is no date set for her discharge yet

Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner remains hospitalized at the Otamendi Sanatorium in Buenos Aires after developing postoperative ileus, a functional intestinal complication following emergency surgery for appendicitis earlier this week. She had been allowed to leave her house arrest for the procedure.

The former head of state was admitted last weekend after presenting with severe abdominal pain. Doctors diagnosed her with acute appendicitis complicated by localized peritonitis, a condition that required immediate surgery.

While the operation itself was successful, the latest medical report on Christmas Eve confirmed that CFK was experiencing postoperative ileus, a temporary cessation of bowel function common after major abdominal procedures. A CT scan confirmed the diagnosis and helped rule out mechanical obstructions.

Medical specialists describe postoperative ileus as a functional paralysis of the gastrointestinal tract. While benign and often considered a physiological response to the manipulation of internal organs, it prevents the patient from tolerating oral intake, resulting in abdominal distension (bloating), nausea, and an inability to pass gas or stool.

Factors causing it include the physical handling of the intestines during surgery, the inflammatory response to peritonitis, and the use of certain anesthetic or analgesic medications. In most cases, bowel motility returns within 72 hours. Since CFK's symptoms have persisted beyond this window, the condition is being monitored as pathological, though it remains reversible.

The patient is currently undergoing “conservative treatment” aimed at encouraging the return of natural intestinal movement. Her care plan includes strict fasting with no oral intake, continuous intravenous fluids and electrolyte correction, and preventive antibiotic treatment due to the initial peritonitis. She currently has no fever or signs of active infection. Additionally, she is undergoing supervised walking to stimulate the digestive system.

The hospitalization forced the former president to spend Christmas Eve in the clinic rather than at her residence, where she is serving a six-year term under house arrest for corruption.

Argentina's Federal Police (PFA) maintains a presence at the sanatorium to ensure compliance with judicial protocols during her medical stay. Her detention conditions allow for a restricted number of visitors, which is even smaller during hospitalization. However, some high-profile political figures have requested “humanitarian” visits.

Once the ileus resolves, her defense team is expected to petition for “intensified home health care,” which would require additional nursing arrangements at her apartment.

The primary concerns for the medical team at this stage are pulmonary embolism (due to immobility) and secondary infections, it was explained.