Luton captain Tom Lockyer fitted with defibrillator after cardiac arrest | OneFootball

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer has been released from hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest during last weekend’s match with Bournemouth.

Lockyer collapsed in the 59th-minute at the Vitality Stadium and the match was abandoned while he was rushed to hospital.

The club have now confirmed that the 29-year-old has been discharged and fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) as he begins his rehabilitation.

“This encouraging news follows a successful procedure that took place on Tuesday whereby Tom had an ICD device fitted to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s incident,” Luton said in a statement.

“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.”

Lockyer had previously collapsed in the first half of Luton’s Championship play-off final win over Coventry in May, with the defender later revealing that he had suffered an atrial fibrillation, which the National Health Service (NHS) describes as causing “an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate”.

Luton added: “Naturally, the events that unfolded last weekend surprised and shocked everyone witnessing it. Together with Sporting Chance, via the Premier League, the club is in the process of providing care for those who may be affected by any distress caused.

“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.

“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.”