Milan: AC Milan say forward Antonio Cassano has undergone a successful minor heart surgery.
The club says in a statement that the procedure to close a small opening in the Italy international's heart was carried out by Dr. Mario Carminati and that Milan physician Rodolfo Tavana was also present.
Milan announced on Wednesday that Cassano has a cardiac anomaly which caused a brain problem due to impaired blood flow.
The 29-year-old Cassano has been hospitalized since Saturday, when he was taken for tests after falling ill on the team plane following the team's 3-2 victory over Roma.
Cassano was reportedly joking with teammates on the plane, before suddenly developing problems with his vision, speech and movement.
The former Real Madrid striker recently said that football had left him exhausted and he would quit in 2014.
Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has said Cassano could be out from four to six months.
His teammates unveiled a shirt bearing his name after scoring in Tuesday's 1-1 draw at BATE Borisov, which helped take Milan into the Champions League.
Forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, chief executive Adriano Galliani, coach Massimiliano Allegri and Italian federation president Giancarlo Abete all visited Cassano at the Policlinico di Milano, where he was being treated on Wednesday.
"Antonio is in a good condition, the lad is fine but I'm not a doctor," Galliani told reporters. "I was very, very worried. His career is not at risk. The doctors say he will need a few months, not too many, although I don't want to say too much at this stage, maybe in four, five or six months he will be in conditions to play."
"He has told me that he's upset because he had been playing well."
"The most important thing is his complete and quick recovery, and whenever it will be, it will be," said Abete. "We will stay in constant contact with the club and will do everything in his interest. His health comes first, the rest afterwards."
Cassano, born in Bari, has had a colourful career marked by tantrums and personality clashes, but his early immaturities looked to have been ironed out when he joined Sampdoria from Real in 2007.
However, a verbal spat with the Samp president led to him being suspended last year and he joined Milan in January.
The 29-year-old became a key factor in their Serie A triumph in May and has also emerged as Italy's main forward under Cesare Prandelli as they easily qualified for Euro 2012.
Prandelli will now hope the skilful forward will recover in time for next June's finals in Ukraine and Poland.
Milan boast Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexandre Pato and Robinho among their forwards but may now be forced to recruit another striker in January should Cassano be ruled out for several months.
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