Maradona doctors missed kidney warning, court told

Diego Maradona's failing kidneys should have been a warning sign for his doctors before his death, nephrologist Hernan Trimarchi told a court near Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

Trimarchi testified at the trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of criminal negligence over the Argentine football legend's death. He said Maradona had chronic kidney disease and that, at a minimum, he should have had daily medical checkups, daily nursing care, blood tests and monitoring of his vital signs while convalescing.

Trimarchi said there was no record of any blood test during Maradona's two-week convalescence. He also said Maradona's increased size and blood pressure should have caused concern.

Maradona died aged 60 on November 25, 2020, at a rented home in Tigre, a suburb of Buenos Aires, after surgery for a brain clot. He died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema, a condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs.

The trial is examining whether Maradona's medical team endangered his life by allowing him to recover in a private home rather than a medical facility. The defendants, who include his personal physician, psychiatrist and nursing staff, deny responsibility for his death. They risk up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

The trial is expected to last until at least September.