Schumacher ski accident, coma and recovery

[Gridlock]

This seems like a good summary of the medical issues surrounding his head trauma, probably because Paul Weaver didn't write it:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/d ... ead-injury

Essentially, no point speculating until everything calms down and they can start to assess damage. This may take weeks.

What it doesn't talk about however is the cumulative damage concussions and impacts can have on a brain, which has to be a concern here. The more concussions you receive the slower recovery can be.

[Shrieker]

From what I've seen and read it must have been a very violent impact. The doctors (like some others) said he'd most certainly have lost his life without the helmet. They also did say the main impact took place on the right side of his head.

It does say in the article Gridlock has posted above that side impacts can be the most serious type. Since I ride bikes myself, I also remember reading somewhere that side impacts even when wearing a motorcycle helmet are potentially the most dangerous ones simply because the two different halves of the brain can move at different speeds after they bounce back in the skull causing the nerve fibers connecting them to get stretched or torn.

It is difficult for him, it must be very difficult for his family. I wish him a full and speedy recovery for all their sakes.

Wear your helmets people. He'd have had no chance of survival without it.

[ForMuLaOne]

I am impressed by the way people are posting in this thread. The tidiest thread i have ever seen. We get so much information here from everyone who not only wants to share his opinion but also his feelings about the situation. I never drove races, he is my idol in many ways though. I can see his influence flowing through twitter, Facebook, and online media....may the prayers be directed directly to him.

[munudeges]

Hmmmmm.

What surprised me looking back on the press conference was the way they described how Schumacher had been brought in, in a distressed state. If they were describing the way he was brought into Grenoble when he was transferred then that is not right and I'm afraid the outcome here does not look good. He should have been in an induced coma for the flight when he got there.

[bhall]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ4Pw573Zlc#t=9[/youtube]

[adrianjordan]

Hmmmmm.

What surprised me looking back on the press conference was the way they described how Schumacher had been brought in, in a distressed state. If they were describing the way he was brought into Grenoble when he was transferred then that is not right and I'm afraid the outcome here does not look good. He should have been in an induced coma for the flight when he got there.

That would depend on the facilities at the other hospital. Granted I would have thought a med-evac helicopter would carry a doctor skilled in carrying and rapid-sequence-induction (RSI) in the field, but maybe their standards are different from the UK...and actually not all helimeds in the UK carry them as standard all the time.

Without the right skill-set there, they might not have been able to put him into a coma straight away. Also it would depend a great deal on how he actually presented. If he was fully lucid and showing no signs of a serious (or not so serious) head injury then there would be little reason to immediately carry out an RSI since that procedure carries its own set of risks.

Without all the facts, which tbh we're kind of unlikely to get, it's best not to judge the care he was given. Let us all just be glad that assistance arrived so quickly and that he is now getting the best care available.

All the while I can't help but think of both Richard Hammond and Felipe Massa and hope that Schumi's outcome is as good as theirs were.

[atanatizante]

On the article above mentioned by Gridlock the most important passage is this one:

"If Schumacher survives, as many surgeons believe he will, his recovery depends on how serious these injuries are, and which parts of the brain are affected"

Maybe I'm too hasty but I am convinced that HE WILL SURVIVE and the main problem for him is what`s the quality of survival ...
Hey, people how love him, we could see the light in the tunnel and therefore must be more optimistic about him.
So let`s start to give a little help from our side and try to converge in a giant network our positive energy towards him!

[adrianjordan]

On the article above mentioned by Gridlock the most important passage is this one:

"If Schumacher survives, as many surgeons believe he will, his recovery depends on how serious these injuries are, and which parts of the brain are affected"

Maybe I'm too hasty but I am convinced that HE WILL SURVIVE and the main problem for him is what`s the quality of survival ...
Hey, people how love him, we could see the light in the tunnel and therefore must be more optimistic about him.
So let`s start to give a little help from our side and try to converge in a giant network our positive energy towards him!

Yeah, that's a good point. I know someone earlier said that his health and fitness wouldn't be a factor, but how can they not? The healthier a person is, the better their body's systems will work and so the better their chances of surviving an injury are.

If anyone can recover from this then it's Schumi.

[Shrieker]

Yeah, that's a good point. I know someone earlier said that his health and fitness wouldn't be a factor, but how can they not? The healthier a person is, the better their body's systems will work and so the better their chances of surviving an injury are.

If anyone can recover from this then it's Schumi.

They keep his body temperature around 34-35 celsius for reduced brain activity to prevent swelling. In the article at the top of the page it also says infections become more of a concern around these body temperatures -especially chest infections-. We know Schumacher has a tuff build, he has a big torso/chest. I'm not a doctor but that'll be helping in that department I guess. They wouldn't really want an infection because it can raise the body temperature. Which is exactly what they would not want if I got things right.

[Kiril Varbanov]

https://twitter.com/billclinton/status/ ... 9362052096

[adrianjordan]

Yeah, that's a good point. I know someone earlier said that his health and fitness wouldn't be a factor, but how can they not? The healthier a person is, the better their body's systems will work and so the better their chances of surviving an injury are.

If anyone can recover from this then it's Schumi.

They keep his body temperature around 34-35 celsius for reduced brain activity to prevent swelling. In the article at the top of the page it also says infections become more of a concern around these body temperatures -especially chest infections-. We know Schumacher has a tuff build, he has a big torso/chest. I'm not a doctor but that'll be helping in that department I guess. They wouldn't really want an infection because it can raise the body temperature. Which is exactly what they would not want if I got things right.

Again it comes down to a simple matter of, the healthier someone is, the better equipped their immune system is to fight infections...all other things being equal. So in this situation a super-fit athlete such as Schumi will be at a relatively lower risk than someone who never exercises, drinks regularly and smokes 20 a day. As I say, this is assuming all other things being equal, which they never are...

[FW17]

People with low body fat content are more prone to illnesses and infections.

[Helios]

Great article by DC

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motors ... t-him.html

[adrianjordan]

Great article by DC

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motors ... t-him.html

Yep, DC manages to very eloquently express what I had been thinking as well. That this really has brought to light just how highly regarded Schumi is, even amongst people who weren't his fan when he was driving for Ferrari.

[shamyakovic]

Today I have a positive feeling to this, I think he is gonna pull through this