Bove operated in Florence: implanted a subcutaneous defibrillator. Doubts about his return to the field

This morning, Tuesday 10 December, Edoardo Bove, midfielder of the Fiorentina, underwent surgery at the Careggi hospital in Florence.

This facility was decided to allow the player to be discharged in the next few days, probably between Thursday and Saturday. Bove had been hospitalized since December 1st, the day he felt unwell during the first half of Fiorentina-Inter, a Serie A match in which he stopped in the 17th minute.

Once discharged from the hospital and all the results of the tests taken in these days are obtained, Bove will have the opportunity to decide, in agreement with the doctors, whether to keep or remove the implanted defibrillator. According to what the doctors reported, the surgery to implant the subcutaneous device is not particularly complex, so much so that it is considered a "routine" procedure.

Cardiac surgeon Chiariello: “No to returning to the field”

Although the surgery is not invasive, the issue remains delicate for the young footballer. Cardiac surgeon Luigi Chiariello, known for having operated on Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, commented on the situation, stressing that the adoption of the defibrillator is indicative of a serious health condition. “The defibrillator implant – explains Chiariello – it is necessary when a dangerous arrhythmia is detected, which could put the athlete's life at risk. If we are faced with a case of dangerous arrhythmia, the return to the field for a young athlete like Bove, at least in the Italian championship, is not feasible".

According to the heart surgeon, in fact, playing football with an implanted cardiac defibrillator is not permitted, since the device, although lifesaving, cannot be put to the test with the type of physical stress that an athlete is called upon to face during a football match. “The subcutaneous defibrillator is designed to intervene in the event of arrhythmia, giving an electric shock to bring the heartbeat back to a normal rhythm. However, the risk of excessive physical stress during competitive activity does not justify a return to the field”, concluded Chiariello.