Draggo in Serious Condition
Edson Draggo (Pictures) is in serious, but improving
condition following a motorcycle accident on June 25 in Rio de
Janeiro. The Brazilian fighter collided with a tree chest-first,
which caused massive damage to his lungs. He is recovering at the
Hospital Amparo Feminino in northern Rio de Janeiro.
"He is getting better, but very slowly," said Draggo's wife Sirlene Provenci late last week. "The lung injury was very serious, his condition is very delicate and needs constant care. He has a drain in his left lung and today another one will be put in his right lung in order to help to get all the secretion out. His temperature is normal, but he's got pneumonia. The doctors warned that this would happen and he is being medicated. The situation is under control. The good news is that he didn't do hemodialysis yesterday and will not do it tomorrow, so he is really getting better."
According to Provenci, the one-time heavyweight contender for Brazilian Top Team is still sedated in a medically induced coma.
"He is still on breathing apparatus," she said. "He will have to do a tracheotomy, which will help him to breath better. It's like the doctors said, we cannot expect that he will recover from one day to another -- his situation will take time. So he will be sedated until at least Wednesday."
Provenci said that her husband, who she lives with in Porto Alegre, is showing improvement.
"His sedation was reduced, so we noticed that he perceives our presence, he can hear us, he knows we are close to him," said Provenci.
The 30-year-old Draggo merged as a heavyweight hopeful in 2005 and 2006 when he ran his record to 9-0 with a string of brutal knockouts, including his 15-second pummeling of Chute Boxe product Helio Dipp and a five-second starching of solid U.K.-based heavyweight Tengiz Tedoradze (Pictures).
However, the heavy-hitting Draggo's hype was halted when he made his big-show debut. He was proven to be limited on the ground in submission losses to Polish judo legend Pawel Nastula (Pictures) and Japanese firebrand Yoshihiro Nakao (Pictures). Draggo has not competed since last July, when he bowed out after two rounds against U.K. kickboxing convert Gary "Smiler" Turner.
Prior to the accident, Sherdog.com had learned that Draggo had been in negotiations to return to action in the U.S. in July, potentially in a bout against UFC vet Assuerio Silva (Pictures) on a Jungle Fight card.
Provenci believes Draggo will fight just as hard for his recovery as he did in the ring.
"He is in very good hands, with an excellent team of doctors, and they are giving him a lot of attention," said Provenci. "I know that he has many friends and fans, so everybody's strength is very important to help with his recovery. I'm sure that within the coming weeks he will be giving an interview himself, talking about his recovery."
"He is getting better, but very slowly," said Draggo's wife Sirlene Provenci late last week. "The lung injury was very serious, his condition is very delicate and needs constant care. He has a drain in his left lung and today another one will be put in his right lung in order to help to get all the secretion out. His temperature is normal, but he's got pneumonia. The doctors warned that this would happen and he is being medicated. The situation is under control. The good news is that he didn't do hemodialysis yesterday and will not do it tomorrow, so he is really getting better."
According to Provenci, the one-time heavyweight contender for Brazilian Top Team is still sedated in a medically induced coma.
"He is still on breathing apparatus," she said. "He will have to do a tracheotomy, which will help him to breath better. It's like the doctors said, we cannot expect that he will recover from one day to another -- his situation will take time. So he will be sedated until at least Wednesday."
Provenci said that her husband, who she lives with in Porto Alegre, is showing improvement.
"His sedation was reduced, so we noticed that he perceives our presence, he can hear us, he knows we are close to him," said Provenci.
The 30-year-old Draggo merged as a heavyweight hopeful in 2005 and 2006 when he ran his record to 9-0 with a string of brutal knockouts, including his 15-second pummeling of Chute Boxe product Helio Dipp and a five-second starching of solid U.K.-based heavyweight Tengiz Tedoradze (Pictures).
However, the heavy-hitting Draggo's hype was halted when he made his big-show debut. He was proven to be limited on the ground in submission losses to Polish judo legend Pawel Nastula (Pictures) and Japanese firebrand Yoshihiro Nakao (Pictures). Draggo has not competed since last July, when he bowed out after two rounds against U.K. kickboxing convert Gary "Smiler" Turner.
Prior to the accident, Sherdog.com had learned that Draggo had been in negotiations to return to action in the U.S. in July, potentially in a bout against UFC vet Assuerio Silva (Pictures) on a Jungle Fight card.
Provenci believes Draggo will fight just as hard for his recovery as he did in the ring.
"He is in very good hands, with an excellent team of doctors, and they are giving him a lot of attention," said Provenci. "I know that he has many friends and fans, so everybody's strength is very important to help with his recovery. I'm sure that within the coming weeks he will be giving an interview himself, talking about his recovery."
