Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi has regained consciousness after being placed in an induced coma following emergency surgery for a serious abdominal injury.
The 27-year-old was rushed to hospital on Monday after colliding with a goalpost during Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Sunday.
Awoniyi suffered an abdominal injury.
He underwent a two-stage surgical procedure to repair the damage.
The first phase took place on Monday, after which he was placed in an induced coma for monitoring.
The second phase, involving the closing of the wound, was completed on Wednesday and he was successfully brought out of the coma later that evening.
The incident has sparked serious concern within Nottingham Forest, prompting the club to launch an internal review over how Awoniyi’s condition was handled on the pitch.
Despite receiving lengthy treatment following the collision, the striker was allowed to continue playing.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis personally walked onto the pitch after the game to express his concern to head coach Nuno Santo over the decision to let the forward continue.
The club has since issued a statement expressing “shared frustration” that the medical team allowed Awoniyi to stay on the field, despite the severity of the injury.
Medical experts have weighed in on the seriousness of the incident.
According to consultant colorectal surgeon professor Gillian Tierney said that injuries like Awoniyi’s can be fatal and are often difficult to diagnose immediately, especially in highly fit athletes running on adrenaline.
“The injury is really serious. It is potentially life-threatening,” said Tierney.
“Fluid leaking from the intestine would not be easy to diagnose straight away. The mortality stat is 9%.”
Consultant vascular and general surgeon Harpaul Flora described the injury as “pretty rare” and warned of the risk of infection and sepsis if not treated promptly.
Awoniyi’s condition is now said to be stable, but there is no official timeline yet for his recovery or return to the pitch.
