SANTA FE, Argentina — Former boxer Alejandra Oliveras is showing slight signs of recovery after a serious stroke that occurred while she was sleeping, leaving her outside the critical “therapeutic window” for immediate intervention.
The 47-year-old athlete is hemodynamically stable and maintaining periods of motor response and ocular opening.
- Alejandra Oliveras, a former boxer, is showing slight signs of recovery after a stroke.
- She is hemodynamically stable and shows motor response and ocular opening periods.
- A tracheotomy was performed to aid in weaning from mechanical ventilation and monitoring.
- The stroke occurred while she slept, delaying medical attention.
- Doctors performed a decompressive craniotomy on July 16 to relieve brain pressure.
Oliveras, known as “Locomotora,” is currently hospitalized at the José María Cullen Hospital, where the medical team, led by hospital director Dr. Bruno Moroni, has provided a hopeful update.
The latest medical report states Oliveras is “hemodynamically stable” and “maintains motor response periods and ocular opening, both spontaneous and to order” on the 12th day of her hospitalization. This stability has allowed for a gradual reduction in mechanical respiratory assistance, with periods of spontaneous breathing, though she remains under constant monitoring in the intensive therapy unit.
A Difficult Path to Recovery
Despite the glimmer of hope, Oliveras’s condition remains guarded. The medical team notes “some motor response signs in the right hemicuro.” A significant development was the recent tracheotomy, a crucial step for critical patients that facilitates sedative reduction and improves neurological monitoring.
The boxer’s stroke occurred while she was asleep, meaning she could not receive care within the optimal “therapeutic window,” a period where treatments are most effective. Dr. Alejandro Musacchio, head of neuroradiology, explained that angioplasty to remove clots from the brain is most effective within about four hours. Delays increase the risk of complications like hemorrhage.
Upon waking, Oliveras presented with motor deficits on her left side. She was initially taken to a hospital in Santo Tomé before being transferred to the José María Cullen Hospital. Initial symptoms included disorientation and loss of mobility, confirmed by studies to be caused by a blocked cerebral artery.
On the third day of hospitalization, doctors diagnosed cerebral edema, prompting a decompressive craniotomy on July 16. Dr. Moroni stated, “Craneotomy was performed to generate space and release pressure that compromised other areas of the brain. She had a very good response.” Since the surgery, her condition has not worsened, though paralysis on her left side persists.
Hospital Remains the Care Center
The José María Cullen Hospital, recognized as a leading critical care center, has confirmed that no transfer to another facility is planned. The hospital team maintains continuous monitoring of Oliveras, reporting no deterioration in her condition.
Family members and friends have requested privacy and limited access to the intensive care unit (ICU) to allow Oliveras the best environment for recovery. Her mother and a daughter are present daily, with visits restricted to authorized individuals. Social media and local reports highlight the need for discretion and family support.
The political space “Front of Hope,” to which Oliveras belongs as an elected Constituent, described the situation as “very bitter” and “very delicate.” The Constituent Convention of Santa Fe has formally rejected challenges against the former boxer.
