Ricky van Wolfswinkel diagnosed with brain aneurysm following ‘severe consussion’
The former Norwich City player will be out of action for 'a long time' after the aneurysm was discovered following a severe concussion sustained playing for Basel against LASK in Champions League qualifying
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Your support makes all the difference.Former Norwich City striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel is undergoing treatment for a brain aneurysm.
The 30-year-old will be out of action for “a long time” after the aneurysm was discovered following a severe concussion sustained playing for Basel against Austrian side LASK in Champions League qualifying.
Were it not for the concussion, the aneurysm – which is a pre-existing condition – would likely have gone undetected.
“I’m very grateful the brain aneurysm got discovered,” he said.
“Normally a brain aneurysm is not discovered in time, only after it has ruptured and caused other damage.”
Van Wolfswinkel suffered a head injury in the last few minutes of Basel’s 2-1 defeat and was immediately taken to hospital by the Swiss team’s medical staff.
It was there that the aneurysm was detected. If a brain aneurysm bursts it can cause a subarachnoid haemorrhage – which is often fatal or can cause extensive brain damage.
“The doctors made multiple scans and eventually found out that I have a brain aneurysm,” he said.
“The hit I got in the game has absolutely nothing to do with the existing brain aneurysm - this has been there for a long period but I didn’t have any symptoms so we didn’t know it was there.”
Van Wolfswinkel, who has previously played for Vitesse, Utrecht, Sporting, Norwich, Saint-Etienne and Real Betis, said that it was too early to determine when he would be playing again.
“It’s just clear that it won’t be for at least six months,” he added.
“The returning date will of course depend on the reaction of the brain aneurysm after treatment.
“I want to say thank you to the Basel medical department and the doctors of the university hospital in Basel.
“For now I will focus on my health and recovery to be able to do what I love most as soon as possible and that’s play football.”
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