McTominay ready for ablation: arrhythmia discovered in the USA in June
McTominay background: Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay will undergo an ablation procedure to treat the benign arrhythmia discovered in the United States (USA) in mid-June, when he was traveling for the World Cup; on that occasion he also had a fever and was immediately monitored by the Napoli medical staff.
The first occurrence of the arrhythmia was recorded in mid-June, before the debut match Haiti‑Scotland in Boston, during the World Cup tournament. The medical staff of the Scottish national team detected an irregular heart rhythm, accompanied by a fever. As reported in the press A− A+, McTominay's arrhythmia was classified as benign.
Napoli was promptly alerted to the anomaly, but McTominay got back in shape and was able to take part in the World Cup without further issues, remaining under close monitoring by the Napoli medical staff even after the holidays. Today's edition of the newspaper Il Mattino has reconstructed the events of the past months.
The cardiologist's opinion
Dr. Carlo Pappone, cardiologist, told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli that the procedure will require at least two months of rest and strict check‑ups before assessing a return to the field. “McTominay out for at least two months,” he said, emphasizing the complexity of the procedure for a professional athlete.
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Atrial fibrillation is not a rare event among athletes, but it tends to appear more frequently toward the end of a career. When the episode lasts several hours or requires medication, the athlete’s physical capacity can be reduced significantly, making it impossible to sustain a match or an intense training session.
Details of the ablation procedure
The procedure is performed under general anesthesia, the catheters are introduced through a femoral vein and access to the left atrium is achieved via a puncture of the inter‑atrial membrane; today electroporation is also used, a very effective technology.
Ablation does not guarantee a one‑hundred percent success rate and can involve complications; for this reason it is essential to perform it in specialized centers equipped to handle possible emergencies.
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After the procedure, it is not enough to verify the return to a normal rhythm: it is necessary to confirm the absence of new episodes of fibrillation, the absence of a need for anti‑arrhythmic drugs or anticoagulant therapy, before authorising the return to competitive activities.