AC Milan striker Antonio Cassano will make a full recovery from his heart, says his chief surgeon. Cassano was under local anaesthetic on Friday morning when doctors inserted a 'Pfo occluder' to plug a small hole between the atriums of his heart, which had caused the ischemic attack last Saturday.

"In my experience, this situation tends to have a positive evolution and the lesion will disappear a little at a time," explained neurologist Nereo Bresolin.

"I hope to send Cassano home on Sunday. The patient can generally begin sporting activity after six months."

Professor Mario Carminati performed the surgery and revealed more about the procedure.

"It went very well and there were no problems. We went in through the femoral artery and reached up to inside the heart, where we positioned the occluder, which is like a small umbrella that closes the anomalous communication between the two atriums.

"Cassano's heart defect is present in a high percentage of the population, but that doesn't mean everyone needs it to be closed. The indication for this procedure is above all in young people with no apparent risk factors who suffer a cerebral ischemic attack.

"The post-procedural therapy simply means going back to normal life and taking anti-coagulant medication for six months."