Alex Groves was told he might never play rugby again \u2013 now he\u2019s back in the pro ranks and determined to make it count.<\/p>\n
And just 18 months after having major heart surgery.<\/p>\n
The 6ft 9in, 120kg lock \u2013 once of Bristol<\/a> Bears and more recently Sale<\/a> Sharks \u2013 has returned to professional rugby with a renewed sense of purpose, having undergone life-saving surgery at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (LHCH) in early 2024. At the time, his rugby career, and more pressingly his long-term health, were in serious jeopardy.<\/p>\n \u201cIt all started about 5 years ago when I was at Bristol Bears and had a routine heart screening,\u201d Groves explained. \u201cThey found that I had a leaking valve, which is quite common and so I wasn\u2019t too concerned. But when I did the same test in 2023 pre-season, the situation had worsened, and so the cardiologist referred me to LHCH.\u201d<\/p>\n Groves was diagnosed with a leaking bicuspid aortic valve and an aneurysm in the aortic root.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a potentially fatal combination if left untreated.<\/p>\n Aortic aneurysms are dangerous enough on their own, but when coupled with valve dysfunction, the risk is amplified.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I met Mr Nawaytou, he talked to me very clearly about the urgency of my situation, the need to undergo surgery and the various treatment options \u2013 some of which would likely have been career ending.\u201d<\/p>\n Enter Mr Omar Nawaytou, consultant cardiac and aortic surgeon at LHCH, whose job it was to not just save a life but salvage a career.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are different treatment approaches, and many centres might have considered either a mechanical valve or a bioprosthetic valve,\u201d explained Nawaytou. \u201cHowever, we pride ourselves at LHCH on valve repair and natural aortic valve substitutes, and in the event that a valve does need replacing, a procedure called the Ross procedure can be carried out using a patient\u2019s own pulmonary valve. In discussion with Alex, we felt these were the best options and gave him the best chance of returning to professional sport.\u201d<\/p>\n