Brazil's Pele improving, still in intensive care: hospital

SAO PAULO Fri Nov 28, 2014 7:26am EST

Brazilian soccer legend Pele laughs during the inauguration of a refurbished soccer field at the Mineira slum in Rio de Janeiro September 10, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Ricardo Moraes/Files
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian soccer great Pele "is in better condition" though he remains in an intensive care unit being treated for a urinary tract infection, the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo said on Friday.
Pele, 74, is receiving renal support treatment, which helps kidneys to filter waste products from the blood, after surgery to remove kidney stones earlier this month. He is not on vasoactive drugs or other supportive therapies, the hospital said.
Pele, often called the greatest soccer player in history, has suffered a long list of health problems in the past decade, including emergency eye surgery for a detached retina and a hip replacement.
His manager, Paul Kemsley, said on Thursday he was expected to make a full recovery and that reports of his condition are being "greatly exaggerated."
Known as "the King of soccer" in Brazil, Pele played in four World Cups and helped Brazil win the global tournament three times, the last in Mexico in 1970.
(Reporting by Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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Soccer legend Pelé's health improving, still in intensive care

SAO PAULO Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:19pm EST

Brazilian soccer legend Pele laughs during the inauguration of a refurbished soccer field at the Mineira slum in Rio de Janeiro September 10, 2014.
Credit: Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian soccer legend Pelé's health continued to improve on Saturday although he remained in an intensive care unit to allow doctors to monitor a urinary tract infection, the hospital said.
The 74-year-old three-time World Cup champion is receiving renal support treatment to help his kidneys filter waste products from the blood. He underwent surgery earlier this month to remove kidney stones.
According to a statement released by São Paulo's Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Pelé - often called the greatest soccer player in history - is "lucid, talking, and his respiratory and blood readings are stable." A treatment with antibiotics remained unaltered, the statement said.
The renal treatment could be stopped early on Sunday, the hospital said in a separate statement.
Pelé, who was born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, has struggled with many health problems over the past decade. He has had emergency eye surgery for a detached retina and a hip replacement.
Known in Brazil as the "King of soccer," he played in four World Cups and scored over 1,000 goals during his career.
(Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Editing by Pravin Char and Gunna Dickson)

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