Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the former WWE star explained that he was diagnosed with DVT (deep vein thrombosis) earlier this year after a long flight from New York back to Phoenix. According to Constantino, the situation began after a delayed flight left him sitting for more than five hours without getting up, which ultimately led to dangerous blood clots forming in his legs.
“I developed DVT. That’s blood clot in the legs,” Constantino said.
He revealed that doctors discovered one clot in his femoral vein and another more serious clot in the popliteal artery behind his knee, which caused ongoing pain in his leg.
“The one in my popliteal artery was harder to get rid of and it was causing me pain behind the leg,” he explained.
Since receiving treatment, Constantino says he has been placed on blood thinner medication and has already noticed improvement.
“Since then I’ve been on a new blood thinner and the pain behind the leg has gone away.”
However, the health concerns did not stop there. During additional medical evaluations and physical examinations, doctors also discovered a small blockage on the left side of his heart.
“They found a small blockage on the left side of my heart so I’m going through that now,” Constantino shared.
In addition, the wrestling veteran revealed that his sleep apnea has returned, leading him to begin using a CPAP machine at night once again.
Despite the serious medical setbacks, Constantino remains optimistic about his future. He noted that he is scheduled for another ultrasound next month to determine whether the blood clots have fully cleared, and he continues to focus on improving his health with hopes of eventually making an in-ring comeback.
Rico Constantino competed in WWE during the early 2000s and became known for his unique character work and entertaining presence on television. While his immediate focus remains on recovery, fans were encouraged to hear that he has not completely ruled out one more return to professional wrestling.
