Ghanaian striker Raphael Dwamena starts training after undergoing a successful heart surgery
Ghana and Real Zaragoza striker, Raphael Dwamena, has started gym work after undergoing a successful heart surgery.
A device known as Implantable Automatic Defibrillator or Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) has been implanted in his heart. This is to protect the player from a sudden heart attack.
Doctors implanted the device to treat Dwamena life-threatening arrhythmia, and to prevent the possibility of the striker’s sudden death while on the field.
Dwamena, 24, has been working in the gym under the guidance of a trainer Javier Chocarro and the recuperator Andrés Ubieto.
GHANAsoccernet.com has it that the Ghana international was under 24-hour medical surveillance as he battled to get his career back on track.
The 24-year-old was ruled out of action indefinitely after being diagnosed with a pulmonary condition October last year, and underwent a successful operation at the Miguel Servet University Hospital in Zaragoza.
The condition causes an irregular and fast heart rate and can result in dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness.
It is the second major health scare that Dwamena has suffered in his professional career.
It will be recalled that in August 2017, his then club FC Zürich had agreed a £10 million fee with English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion for the transfer of Dwamena.
He was set to join Brighton subject to passing a medical, obtaining a work permit and international clearance, however, the deal couldn’t go through after Dwamena reportedly failed his medical due to a heart condition. He instead, remained an FC Zürich player.
He later joined La Liga side Levante UD in August 2018 before he was loaned out to Zaragoza for one year in July last year.
Dwamena has a €800,000 annual contract with UD Levante which will expire in 2022.