Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer discharged from hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during Premier League match
By Matias Grez, CNN
(CNN) — Tom Lockyer, the captain of Premier League club Luton Town, has been discharged from the hospital after he suffered a cardiac arrest during last weekend’s match against Bournemouth.
Lockyer collapsed in the 59th minute of Saturday’s match at Kenilworth Road and was taken to hospital by ambulance, resulting in the match being abandoned with the score 1-1.
“We are thankful to report that our captain Tom Lockyer has now begun a period of rehabilitation from the comfort of his own home after he was discharged from hospital on Wednesday,” Luton said in a statement on Thursday.
“This encouraging news follows a successful procedure that took place on Tuesday whereby Tom had an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) device fitted to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s incident.”
It’s the second time in just seven months that Lockyer has collapsed on the pitch.
Lockyer suffered an atrial fibrillation and collapsed in the 11th minute of May’s play-off final against Coventry, with the 29-year-old subsequently undergoing surgery and being cleared to play again after Luton earned promotion to the Premier League.
“The clinical advice Tom and the Club has taken since the Championship play-off final has been conducted by the most renowned cardiologists, who have been involved at every step, along with a team of supporting multi-disciplinary consultants,” Luton’s statement added.
“We can now confirm that the tests taken this week had revealed that the issue Tom experienced on Saturday was different to the atrial fibrillation he suffered in May.”
The Premier League announced on Wednesday that Saturday’s abandoned match would be replayed in full, but a date for game is yet to be confirmed.
Lockyer was treated on the pitch before he was carried off on a stretcher, and the match was initially suspended as players also left the field.
Both sets of players reemerged once the game had been called off, walking around the pitch and applauding fans who chanted the name of the Luton captain.
“The Club, Tom and the Lockyer family would like to take this opportunity to repeat our collective heartfelt thanks to all at Bournemouth, their supporters, club officials and especially their medical staff and midfielder Philip Billing, who was the first to reach Tom on the pitch and summon assistance,” Luton’s statement continued.
“Supported by the actions of Bournemouth’s medical team and local paramedics, it was ultimately the protocols instilled and professional actions of our own medical staff that gave Tom this chance to recover and to whom we are thankful.”
“We’re so proud to have Locks as our captain and his leadership will continue from the sidelines where his courage will inspire his team-mates, colleagues, and supporters, starting on Saturday.”
Luton welcomes Newcastle United to Kenilworth Road for Saturday’s Premier League match.
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CNN’s Issy Ronald and George Ramsay contributed to this report.
