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waltwhitman83 t1_j2uwgi2 wrote

Reply to comment by CodeBlue614 in Family Statement for Damar Hamlin by ShepherdsDoof

> During this time, Mr. Hamlin will be reassessed frequently, looking at things like cranial nerve reflexes (from nerves that come directly off the brain and not the spinal cord). These include nerves that control the pupils reacting to light, eye movements, cough and gag reflexes, and blinking. If they are impaired, that’s a bad sign, as they tend to be more resilient than the “higher function” areas of the brain.

it seems highly unlikely that they'll release this information to the press/media/fans, despite the fact that basically millions of people will most likely look at football differently if a player dies from a routine tackle, no?

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Ajax444 t1_j2uyc8x wrote

I don’t think people will look at football differently. I have seen 2 basketball players die on the court, and heard about the Price brothers (Mark and Brent-ex NBA players) father collapsing after a pick-up game, and Pete Maravich.

A soccer player recently had cardiac arrest on the field (last year?). I remember the Detroit Lions player that got paralyzed on the field. These sports go on, and these instances are soon out of sight/out of mind.

I mean, the UFC has 2 barely protected people in the ring looking to concuss their opponent. It’s not going anywhere soon.

These gentlemen (and ladies) know the potential consequences, and choose to participate. While it may not he in their best interest, physically and mentally, it is their right to make that decision.

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CodeBlue614 t1_j2v0cn2 wrote

I doubt we’ll hear those smaller details. I added that part to help people understand the process a little better. I’d expect a bigger picture, more general update once a day. If he wakes up, I would imagine that’s a story that warrants an urgent update by sports outlets, and it would definitely be cause for relief.

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waltwhitman83 t1_j2v1fgz wrote

if we don’t hear that he’s awake in 2 more days, would you say it’s most likely bad?

is there any way they could’ve already woken him up if they saw all positives?

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CodeBlue614 t1_j2v44st wrote

In a few cases, I’ve had people wake up during CPR. That’s rare. Waking up within the first few hours does happen, and those people tend to do well. The longer he goes without waking up, the more worried I get. When we get to 7-10 days, it’s pretty clear that things aren’t going to go well. Additionally, if I see cranial nerve reflexes that are absent or sluggish, or new seizures, I know things are going badly. If he’s 2 days in, not awake yet, but his reflexes are all normal, he can still have a good recovery.

I know these are long answers, but this stuff is complicated.

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waltwhitman83 t1_j2v4lid wrote

will they be testing his reflexes if he’s sedated on purpose/being cooled?

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CodeBlue614 t1_j2wnq05 wrote

It depends on the depth of sedation. In most patients, we’re aiming to keep a patient calm, but awake, or at most drowsy. If they made the decision for cooling to 32-34 C, he would be more deeply sedated. You can still check reflexes under those circumstances. If they had to use a paralytic to control shivering, then most of those reflexes won’t be there. The pupils will still react to light, so those are still checked. When we do temperature control at 36 C, I keep sedation pretty light, because there tends to be a lot less shivering, and I can greatly reduce the amount of drugs the patient is exposed to.

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