Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat, who missed the All-Star Game with a calf injury, is suffering from blood clots in his left calf, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press and Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Chris Bosh meeting with doctors to determine severity of another blood-clot scare
The two-time NBA champion could miss extended time with blood clots in his calf.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported Monday the Heat were concerned about a potentially serious issue with Bosh, and while his agent said it was too soon to say whether the blood clots had returned or not, it appears that's indeed the issue. The big man will meet with doctors this week to determine the severity of the blood clots and determine a course of action, and Wojnarowski reported there was some optimism that the condition is manageable.
Bosh said over the All-Star break he was optimistic about playing again this season, but Bosh is back on blood thinning medication to treat his calf.
Taking blood thinners increases the risk of bleeding, so a fall or an elbow to the head could be traumatic. Brett Lavine, a Clearwater, Fla., based physician, told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, that brain bleeding is the worst-case scenario. The medication Xarelto, which Bosh reportedly took last season, carries a low risk of brain bleeds, but it is still a posibility, according to Lavine.
The fact that Bosh has clotting in the calf is a good sign. “Clots in the leg tend to travel to the lung,” Lavine said. “Clots in the heart like an atrial fibrillation tend to travel to the brain and cause strokes.”
“So it is definitely possible to play with [blood thinners].” Lavine said. “You just worry about the potential for bad luck. An elbow to the head, a fall on the floor, etc.”
It’s also feasible that Bosh could jump off medication for a period, but most doctors recommend a three-month treatment period. That would put Bosh back on the court in mid-April to early-May.
Bosh dealt with blood clots in his lungs last year, but was cleared to play this season and has played in all 53 Heat games. He’s averaging 19.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game and has led the Heat to a 29-24 record, good enough for fifth in the East. He earned a nod as an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve, but he abruptly withdrew from the All-Star Game and Three-Point Contest with what was called a strained calf.
Bosh missed 30 games after the All-Star Game last season because of blood clots in his lungs. He’d missed eight games in December with a calf injury before returning to play 21 heading into the All-Star Game, but missed the remainder of the season because of blood clots. Bosh said doctors told him the blood clots stemmed from the calf injury.
He was on blood thinners for seven months, but was back for the 2015-16 season. He said there was a risk he could get a blood clot again, but it wasn’t likely.
“The recurring risk comes from a hereditary gene,” he said last September. “Fortunately, I don’t have that. That was one of the dangers I faced earlier, was, ‘Am I going to be able to play the game?’ Because if this test comes back that it’s a recurring thing, it’s going to be a problem.”
It’s a scary situation for Bosh and his family. His future in the league is unknown at this point.
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