Christian Eriksen would have to use a computerized heart according to the team doctor of the Denmark national team, Morten Boesen.
The doctor said the Inter Milan player who collapsed on the pitch on June 12 during a Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland, would be fitted with a heart-starting device (ICD).
ICD stands for Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator. The British Heart Foundation described the device as a small device that can treat people with dangerously abnormal heart rhythms.
The device is designed to send pulses to regulate the rhythm of the heart to prevent an irregular rhythm of heartbeat from leading to cardiac arrest.
If the procedure of installing the device into the heart of Christian Eriksen becomes successful and the 29-year-old attacking midfielder continues to play professional football, he would be the second active player in the world to be fitted with the device.
The only active footballer who currently uses this device in his heart is Daley Blind. The 31-year-old Netherlands international who currently plays for Ajax successfully underwent the procedure after he was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2019.
Blind who is a former player of Manchester United was a former teammate of Christian Eriksen at Ajax from 2010 to 2013 which means he has a link with the Danish attacking midfielder.
The Dutch defender who played for the Netherlands in the ongoing Euro 2020 against Ukraine, said he almost did not agree to play the game due to how bad he felt about Christian Eriksen’s health condition.
When he was substituted in the Euro 2020 match between Netherlands and Ukraine which ended 3-2 in favor of the Netherlands, Daley Blind shed tears.
After the game, Blind said Christian’s incident “had a huge impact” on him, “never mind the fact that I know Christian well as a friend”, he added.
“The situation for him is terrible. Of course, I have also experienced a few things in that area, so that I had to overcome a mental hurdle to play. I had to persuade myself to play but I’m proud that I did and that’s why my emotion came bursting out at the end of the game.
“I definitely thought about not taking part. The images on television and the incident had a big impact and I didn’t sleep very well because of them. I really had to overcome a big hurdle to do this. If it didn’t go well, it would have haunted my head even more. When Christian encouraged his own teammates to play is when I decided to play myself. Also as I’m safe, according to the doctors.”
The team doctor of Denmark said Christian Eriksen has agreed to undergo the procedure to have the device installed in his heart.
“Christian has accepted the solution and the plan has moreover been confirmed by specialists nationally and internationally who all recommend the same treatment”, the doctor said.
“We encourage everybody to give Christian and his family peace and privacy the following time.”
The Denmark international is expected to watch his country play against Belgium later today from his hospital room according to the coach of the Danish team, Kasper Hjulmand. The match will kick off at 17:00.
