Brisbane Broncos chief medical officer Matt Hislop has revealed a worrying development in Corey Jensen’s battle with life-threatening blood clots.
The prop forward was treated in hospital earlier this year and lost 10kg after suffering a life-changing episode in April when he developed a potentially deadly clot on his lung.
The 32-year-old needed approximately one litre of fluid drained from his lung, with the blow coming just nine months after he suffered a separate blood clot in his calf.
On Wednesday, a concerned Hislop provided a disappointing update on Jensen’s recovery.
‘Both incidents were considered to be unprovoked, meaning there was no obvious precipitating event or trigger, like a long-haul flight, or even an injury,’ Hislop said.
‘Corey is being investigated for possible causes and requires repeat definitive blood tests in around three weeks to see if there is an underlying autoimmune issue.’
The Brisbane Broncos’ chief medical officer has provided a concerning update on the health of Corey Jensen (pictured)
Jensen (pictured with wife Shannen) has suffered life-threatening blood clots this season
The club doctor is worried because the reason for the 32-year-old forward’s health battle remains a mystery
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The Broncos star will now be forced to take the blood-thinning drug warfarin for a minimum of six months.
He will be required to take oral tablets to treat the ongoing clots.
As a result, Jensen is prohibited from taking to the footy field or engaging in any sort of contact training because the medication can cause bleeding and heavy bruising.
‘The future is uncertain for Corey. If the upcoming blood test is positive, it will likely mean he needs to stay on warfarin for the rest of his life,’ Hislop continued.
‘If it is negative, it still means we do not know the reason for his recurrent development of blood clots.’
Jensen has played 153 NRL matches across stints with two different clubs and was part of the Broncos’ grand final team last year.
The 32-year-old isn’t the only star fans fear will never play football again, with Melbourne Storm back-rower Eli Katoa also facing a significant battle to return to the field.
Katoa won’t play for the Storm this year as he continues his recovery from bleeding on the brain.
The 26-year-old suffered multiple head knocks during a Test for Tonga against New Zealand, including a heavy collision before the match.
A rising star before the horrible setback, Katoa is now working with specialists and neurosurgeons to determine whether he’ll be able to resume contact training.
The Storm have since confirmed that he won’t play again this season, and his future remains clouded.
Katoa is a two-time Dally M Second-Rower of the Year.
