Sam Burgess grounded indefinitely with infection to shoulder
South Sydney superstar Sam Burgess has had a drip connected to his heart which will require daily monitoring to halt the infection that has rubbed him out of South Sydney’s finals push.
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South Sydney’s international forward Sam Burgess is out indefinitely after complications surrounding his latest shoulder surgery have forced the Rabbitohs’ best player to have a drip line connected to his heart to control an infection.
Burgess has been required to attend hospital on a daily basis as doctors monitor his recovery and tend to the drip.
The drip positioned on Burgess’ arm is connected to a tube in his heart which releases medication to treat the infection. The tube is known as a PICC line, or peripherally inserted central catheter, which is inserted into a large vein above the heart.
About 50 centimetres of tube is inserted under Burgess’ armpit and runs to his heart.
In a sign of why Burgess is regarded as the hardest forward in the NRL, the South Sydney captain did some light running along the sideline at the club’s Redfern training session on Wednesday.
The international forward is also wearing a ‘bum bag’ medical pack that contains the medication.
The Bunnies’ international forward wanted to return this weekend against the Cowboys and will fly with South Sydney to Townsville but has been ruled out indefinitely depending on how his shoulder responds.
The Rabbitohs are hopeful Burgess will be fit to return for the round 19 clash with St George Illawarra.
The complications arose when Burgess went in for surgery on a shoulder he has previously had two reconstructions on in 2010 and 2011.
During the surgery, doctors discovered a pre-existing infection thought to have been there from one of the previous operations.
The Bunnies forward has since been forced into using the drip in a bid to get the infection under control.
Burgess is aiming to return for South Sydney in round 19 against but it will depend on the medical advice on how his shoulder is recovering.
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