Members of the musician's family have revealed doctors had to repair two heart stents and add a third. Rossington will also have to have another surgery so medics can add a fourth stent in the next few weeks.

A Facebook message from the rock star's daughter reads: "Dad had a heart attack on Thursday. They went in to repair and unclog the two stents they did previously in the year which had a blood clot, added a third stent to one vein and in two weeks we will need to go in to do a fourth stent in one of his bypassed veins from 12 years ago.

"Please keep him and us in your prayers as well as all the amazing medical staff that have saved his life several times now. We were very close to losing him this time and just pray that they will develop even better techniques soon to deal with heart disease. We love and thank you all for thoughts, prayers, love and sympathy."

She adds, "He's the toughest guy we know and hope we can keep him around as long as possible."

Rossington has battled health problems for several years and underwent a quintuple bypass in 2003.

In 2013, he was hospitalised and had to undergo tests for an abdominal infection.