Tom Lockyer shows defibrillator inside his chest designed to 'give him a shock'
Luton captain Tom Lockyer has given fans an insight into his life by showing them the device that will prevent him from having another cardiac arrest.
Lockyer collapsed on the pitch while playing for Luton against Bournemouth on December 16. He had suffered a cardiac arrest, seven months after collapsing at Wembley during the play-off final which saw Luton promoted to the Premier League.
The 29-year-old defender is now recovering and has been fitted with an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator). The device has been planted underneath his skin and is designed to jump into action if Lockyer ever gets close to having another cardiac arrerst.
Showing the device in a video for Sky Sports, Lockyer said: "It's constantly monitoring my heart rate and if it goes outside certain parameters it's designed to give me a shock. I think the battery lasts 10 years, so it only needs changing every 10 years. Hopefully I'm never going to need it, but it's there as a precaution."
The ICD sits under the skin on his left side and has a wire which runs to his heart. He was speaking after working as a pundit for Sky on the weekend and is yet to decide when – if at all – he will return to the pitch for the Hatters.
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He knows that doing so is possible thanks to the precedents set by the likes of Christian Eriksen and Daley Blind, but won’t rush things. "That's out of my hands in a way,” he said. “That will be dictated by medical staff and specialists, but what I would say is that if there is a chance - obviously I won't do anything against specialist recommendations - then I would love to.
"Obviously it's far too early to say at this time, there's a lot more tests that need to happen. But I wouldn't write it off at the minute, but my priorities are with the baby." He added: "I've spoken to Christian, Daley Blind and Charlie Wyke who have all had similar heart conditions. The one thing that was common from them all was, 'take your time to process what has happened'.
Tom Lockyer showed off his scars (Sky Sports)
It lasts for 10 years (Sky Sports)"And in some ways I don't think I have processed it, maybe, because as athletes, we're able to deal with things differently and can compartmentalise. Maybe it will come back and bite me on the bum, but I've not really had any emotions since, I know I literally died but I've been quite numb about it. But like I said, my girlfriend is pregnant, due soon, that's my priority."
Luton are 18th in the Premier League and in the relegation zone on goal difference following Everton ’s 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace on Monday night. After their 2-1 defeat by Manchester United, they face the tricky task of visiting Anfield to play Liverpool on Wednesday night.
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