Fabrice Muamba: Jose Mourinho, Dr Andrew Deaner and tabloid experts
FABRICE Muamba: A look at the Bolton Wanderers player in the news:
The Indian Express: “Muamba’s collapse due to excessive exercise, feel experts”
Experts who never treated Muamba:
Although doctors aren’t yet sure what caused Fabrice Muamba’s heart to stop beating on Saturday, some experts say vigorous exercise may have been the trigger…
“Exercise could be a trigger for a cardiac event,’’ said Dr William McKenna, director of inherited cardiac diseases at University College London. “If you have a known problem and push the system to the limit, it may fall apart.’’
Other experts said it was likely Muamba’s problem was a pre-existing one that hadn’t been detected before. “In someone his age, genetic abnormalities are the most common cause,’’ said Dr Douglas Zipes, a distinguished professor at the Krannert Institute of Cardiology at Indiana University…
“Athletes under the stress of a game have a lot of adrenalin in their bodies,’’ Zipes said. “That can interact with an underlying congenital problem and cause a cardiac arrest,’’ he said.
This follows the fine work of the Sun’s medical team. The Sun told us:
FABRICE Muamba will need a miracle to survive, doctors warned last night. Figures show just five per cent of people who suffer a sudden cardiac arrest outside of hospital live. This goes up to around 17 per cent if the patient is given defribillation within minutes of the arrest. But of those who survive around 95 per cent suffer brain damage — caused when the brain is starved of oxygen.
Carol Cooper, “Sun Doctor”, was handed a pen. She wrote:
WHEN footballers slump on the pitch it’s usually from an injury.
Although they can dive. Was it a dive, Carol or is Fabric Muamba injured, in your expert opinion?
But Fabrice Muamba’s collapse took place well away from the action and was extremely serious. Premier League players get regular medical checks, but they have limitations — that’s why seemingly healthy young people do collapse.
Because they are ill?
…With prompt care, more people can survive and get to hospital where they can get more specialised treatment.
What is this “hospital” of which she peaks?
Ipswich Town’s Alex McCarthy says:
“It’s hard to imagine something like this happening to him, as he’s one of the fittest players I’ve ever come across. It’s an awful thing to happen and I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that he can come through this and make a speedy recovery.”
Matt Lawton tells Mail readers that Muamba’s treatment must be placed in context:
The high level of emergency medical care Fabrice Muamba received at White Hart Lane was the result of measures the Premier League put in place after Petr Cech suffered his serious head injury in 2006.
Jose Mourinho, the then Chelsea manager, complained:
“There are some things that leave me in a very emotional situation. My goalkeeper was waiting for an ambulance for 30 minutes. This is something English football has to think about. This is much more important than football.”
After complaints, changes were made. The new guidelines:
Muamba was treated on the pitch before being rushed to hospital.
An ambulance must be located at the ground for exclusive use of players.
Each club must have their doctor at Premier League games.
The doctor must be seated on the trainers’ bench.
All doctors and physiotherapists must complete AREA (Advanced Resuscitation and Emergency Aid) training course.
At least two paramedics must be available pitchside to deal with on-field emergencies.
The home club must provide the away club with a medical information sheet containing key contact numbers and the location of nearest hospital.
Home club must have available mandatory medical equipment as prescribed by Premier League.
Annual medical examinations must be carried out on all players.
The Indy finds a hero:
The doctor who ran to Fabrice Muamba’s aid is a distinguished cardiologist who is also a father of three and a keen cyclist.
Dr Andrew Deaner graduated from the Leeds University School of Medicine in 1987 and now works in NHS and private hospitals in London and Essex.
He treats patients with all types of cardiac disease, including those with coronary artery disease and people who have suffered angina, heart attack and cardiac arrest.
He is also an expert in pacemakers as well having a special interest in heart disease in pregnancy.
Spurs player Benoit Assou-Ekotto said:
“I witnessed the magic of the moment. I saw a group of people, professionals, who were not caught up in the moment but were only focused. The medics who took care of him along with the medical guys from Spurs and Bolton were focused on Fabrice. They were not distracted by anything, not even the sort of thoughts that I had in my head. Instead they worked, calmly and professionally, doing the things that had to be done. I am not an expert but seeing what I saw, I know we still have Fabrice with us because of the work of these guys.”
The Telegraph sees Ashley Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Johan Djourou visit Muamba at the London Chest Hospital.
Andrew Brown sees God:
Fabrice Muamba dropped on the pitch as if dead. The next thing that happened, after the paramedics reached him, was a member of the opposing team dropped on his knees to pray. No one jeered. There has been an outpouring of prayer requests on his behalf since then. There is a hashtag on Twitter: even the front page of the Sun says “God is in control”, quoting Muamba’s fiancée. This isn’t marginalised religion. In fact it is such a public demonstration of faith and prayer that it’s hard to reconcile it with our normal worldview. So what’s going on? Is it as simple as there are no atheists in intensive care?
Mark Easton sees history:
In 1872, Sir Francis Galton’s classic paper Statistical Inquiries into the Efficacy of Prayer was published in The Fortnightly Review. He reasoned that, if praying was effective, then monarchs should live longer than comparable groups. Galton set about examining the mean age attained by men who had survived beyond the age of 13 between 1758 and 1843. The data excluded deaths by accident or violence.
The Daily Mail sees a smiling celeb:
Alexandra Burke comforts new boyfriend Jermain Defoe over breakfast after witnessing Muamba collapse
Say Bolton:
“His heart is now beating without the help of medication and he is also moving his arms and his legs. However, his long-term prognosis will remain unclear for some time. He is still critically ill and will continue to be closely monitored and treated by staff in the London chest hospital’s intensive care unit.”
Hope.
Posted: 19th, March 2012 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
