A possible reason for the Buffalo Bills’ defense was that Damar Hamlin’s concussion. And cardiac arrest — seen in real time by millions of viewers of “Monday Night Football.” He was immediately recognized by cardiologists who were watching the game.
“I knew exactly what was going on,” said Dr. Nahoosh Mokadam. Division director of cardiac surgery at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “The way he first stood up and then collapsed… it wouldn’t look like an injury.”
On Thursday morning, the Buffalo Bills tweeted that Hamlin’s brain function appeared to be in good shape after days of uncertainty. And anxiety following the player’s cardiac arrest during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“Prices have shown significant improvement in the last 24 hours,” Bills said on Twitter. “While seriously ill, he proved that he appeared to be neurologically intact.”
It was during the first quarter of Monday night’s game. When Hamlin, 24, tackled a Bengals receiver whose shoulder collided with Damar Hamlin’s chest. Hamlin stood up after the tackle but collapsed seconds later.
None of the doctors interviewed for this story were involved in Damar Hamlin’s treatment. Although a statement from Bill said Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest. When the heart stops beating properly.
Although there are several possible causes of Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest. Cardiologists have suggested that a rare phenomenon called “comatio cordis” is responsible.
In such cases, “there’s nothing wrong with the heart,” says Dr. Hari Tandri. Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee. A healthy heart, when hit with a blunt force at a certain point, Tandri said. Can go into an abnormal and potentially fatal rhythm.
A spokesperson for the American Heart Association, an emergency medicine physician in Denver, said. Comilla Sasson said: “It’s not about how much the injury was. It’s about the timing of the injury.”
Normally, the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout the body about every second. There is a rhythm to the process, keeping the blood flowing at a healthy pace. But every time the heart beats, there’s a tiny moment — less than a fifth of a second — that makes it vulnerable to a projectile force. Such as a hockey puck or baseball, that can be disruptive and potentially fatal. heart rhythm
Experts say that a blow to the chest at the right moment. In the right place, can cause a healthy person to go into cardiac arrest. The heart’s electrical system malfunctions, and the heart rhythm becomes disrupted.
The seconds after such an injury are critical to a patient’s survival, Sasson said.
“For every minute that you don’t have CPR, your chance of survival drops by about 10%,” he said. In Damar Hamlin’s case, medical staff on the sidelines rushed in to perform CPR until he was stable enough to be taken to an ambulance for further treatment.
What is comotio cordis?
It’s thought that commotion cordis occurs about 15 to 20 times a year in the United States. Mostly among teenagers participating in sports like baseball, hockey or lacrosse, said Dr. Mark Link. A cardiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
It’s even rarer in people over 20, because the ribs stiffen with age. And are better able to protect against blunt trauma, says Link. An expert in commotio cordis. Who is a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist who specializes in heart rhythm problems.
NFL players undergo countless health screenings to detect potential health problems long before they take the field. Which can include heart scans.
“Every athlete goes through a lot of physical activity every year,” says Dr. James Voss. An orthopedic sports medicine specialist and head team physician for the Cleveland Browns since 2014. For heart structure or electrical system problems.
What’s more, Voos says. Each team has a cardiology consultant who partners with the team.”
