ไทย
English
中國人
Scott McTominay is set to go under the knife within the coming days after a "mild" heart condition was identified. The Napoli and Scotland star will be cleared to return to competitive football after the September/October international break.
A statement from Napoli on Tuesday confirmed the diagnosis of a "benign arrhythmia," which will be treated through a procedure utilizing state-of-the-art medical technology.
An arrhythmia is defined by the National Health Service (NHS) in the U.K. as when a "heart beats too quickly or too slowly, or your heartbeat is not steady."
Cardiac health remains a critical concern in soccer that has at times led to devastating outcomes, making it essential to act swiftly even when mild conditions are detected. The passing of Antonio Puerta and Daniel Jarque shook Spanish football in 2007 and 2009, respectively, while Marc-Vivien Foé lost his life at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup due to an undetected hereditary condition.
More recently, Sergio Agüero opted to hang up his boots just five matches into his stint at Barcelona in 2021 after chest pains during a game were diagnosed as an arrhythmia. Just months prior, Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch and was revived during a Euro 2020 fixture. The Danish midfielder was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, which activated this past June when he collapsed again while playing for Denmark against Ukraine. Eriksen regained consciousness thanks to the device functioning correctly, though he has yet to make his return to the field.
What Is PFA Surgery?
Napoli have confirmed McTominay will undergo "PFA surgery," which stands for pulsed field ablation.
The University Hospital Southampton describes PFA as a procedure that "destroys targeted malfunctioning heart cells using ultrafast electrical pulses."
According to John Hopkins Medicine, it is a "minimally invasive procedure" that employs "electrical pulses, which allows for improved safety and efficiency" compared to the thermal energy used in more conventional ablation methods. "PFA is typically performed under general anesthesia, and patients can usually go home the same day."
When Can Scott McTominay Play Again?
Based on the timeline provided by Napoli, McTominay should be available for the Serie A clash against Frosinone on Oct. 10. However, he will be absent for key fixtures before then, including the match against reigning Italian champions Inter on Sept. 5 and a Champions League encounter with Arsenal four days later.
Napoli also face Bologna and Fiorentina in Serie A before the domestic calendar pauses for the first international window since the 2026 World Cup. On the international stage, McTominay will miss Scotland's UEFA Nations League B four-match run against Slovenia, Switzerland, North Macedonia, and Slovenia once more. The former Manchester United midfielder remains one of his nation's most influential players.