How ready is the AFL for a player who collapses on the field

[royals1922]

I usually post elsewhere but a thought struck me the other day. I was watching on Youtube the "replay" of Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton Wanderers player who collapsed from a heart attack in the midst of an FA Cup. What is clear is that the medicos and some good luck from that game did a power of work to keep Muamba alive.

I'm not trolling here, as the Muamba footage is some of the hardest footage to watch I've seen on any football field.

Then I read in Sports Illiustrated how an American highschool basketballer died shortly after a game partially due to a failed defibrillator.

So it's not uncommon in physical sports for a heart problem to manifest itself.

But the thought that struck me whether if the same thing ever happened to an AFL player during an AFL game, would the AFL be ready for it.

I know that there have been some occurrences in lower leagues but what would happen if it happened in an AFL game.

Lastly one thought,say a prayer for Fabrice Muamba, it just might help.

 

[LeverPuller]

They'd be pretty well set up to be honest. Can't remember who, but I know after a couple of concussions we've seen players seizing similar to Muamba - and the medicos can treat it once they identify he isn't breathing, which they would in such a circumstance very quickly.

Fabrice collapsing has put the wind up me. I'm 22, he's 23 and he'd be in far better nick physically than I, and yet could die. Bloody scared the sh*t outta me.

 

[CAS79]

I usually post elsewhere but a thought struck me the other day. I was watching on Youtube the "replay" of Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton Wanderers player who collapsed from a heart attack in the midst of an FA Cup. What is clear is that the medicos and some good luck from that game did a power of work to keep Muamba alive.

I'm not trolling here, as the Muamba footage is some of the hardest footage to watch I've seen on any football field.

Then I read in Sports Illiustrated how an American highschool basketballer died shortly after a game partially due to a failed defibrillator.

So it's not uncommon in physical sports for a heart problem to manifest itself.

But the thought that struck me whether if the same thing ever happened to an AFL player during an AFL game, would the AFL be ready for it.

I know that there have been some occurrences in lower leagues but what would happen if it happened in an AFL game.

Lastly one thought,say a prayer for Fabrice Muamba, it just might help.

There are two AFL examples to go by.

in the early 2000s a Swans trainer had a heart attack right at the interchange and died right in front of the Swans bench at the SCG. Treatment was swift but not successful.

Was it two years ago a Geelong doctor collopased in the warm up and was clinically dead in Adelaide. Quick work and care brought him back and he survived.

There is nothing for certain but I think an AFL ground for the players and staff would, aside from hospital, be the best place for it to happen if it were to happen.

 

[ManWithNoName]

The safest place to have a heart attack is the MCG.

 

[Bomber32]

I'm very confident the AFL and the clubs medical people are thoroughly prepared to assist in the event of an on-field collapse. The medical staff are extremely professional here and amongst the very best in the world.

I don't think there is anything to worry about.

 

[Killer eagle]

Does the team doctor have a defibrillator with him during games?

 

[Upgrayedd]

Too soon?

WHo could be ready for such a thing? Happened twice now in Soccer around the world, while the chances with Soccer being played much more world wide the AFL couldn't do harm with fitting stadiums with some equiptment

I know some Crazy loon in W.A. was demanding all amateur sports clubs fit themselves with them at the cost of the amateur clubs.

 

[Chopperdave]

There are lots of defibrilators at the MCG. There are heaps in the crowd as well as behind the scenes. However when something like this happens there are times where no matter how quickly you act it might not be enough but at least it can tilt the odds slightly more in your favour.

 

[AG]

Other than a hospital, it's probably the best place to have a heart attack. Probably not very well worded considering the sensitivity of the subject but the chance of survival would be much better rather than having one at home, shopping centre, out jogging, etc. The equipment and knowledgeable personnel available at an AFL match would increase the chance of survival.

 

[Tulip]

Not much you can do beyond what the medicos did at White Hart Lane.

I'm not sure where Ricky Petterd punctured a lung, but the doctors on the ground saved a life.

 

[TAITA]

http://www.defibforlife.org.au/media-library

Without a defibrillator there is a 7 per cent chance of surviving a cardiac arrest, while at the MCG, where defibrillators are accessible, there is an 85 per cent survival rate, Mr White said.

 

[royals1922]

By way of backdrop, a player who played for the English soccer team I support actually did die on the field from a heart attack.

His name was David Longhurst and in 1990, whilst playing for a different club than I support, he passed away.

I can still remember reading the newspaper article from that time.

You can never be too cautious.

 

[DonMare]

In 2007, Ricky Petterd collapsed during a game 'cause of a burst cyst if I remember correctly. The Melbourne club doctors punctured his chest wall which allowed air to escape from his chest cavity which allowed his lung to re-expand which saved his life.

 

[Silent Alarm]

The Ricky Petterd case exemplifies what would, or should, happen in this event.

Medical staff at an AFL game are astounding. They're fully paid professionals, in a fully professional league. But there are medical staff just as well equipped in other leagues – leagues in which soccer players, or other sports people, have passed away. If a death is to unfortunately occur, I can't see it being the fault of the medicos.

If the AFL weren't able to give a player every chance to survive, we'd be in trouble. The knowledge around a ground is comforting.

 

[hayes]

Good question to ask. IMO too often not just in the AFL but society in general we wait until someone has died before evaluations are made. TBH I wouldn't have a clue if we're ready for it, but you'd hate to see the worst happen in our game because the league were ill equipped to handle a situation like that.

 

[Furn]

By way of backdrop, a player who played for the English soccer team I support actually did die on the field from a heart attack.

His name was David Longhurst and in 1990, whilst playing for a different club than I support, he passed away.

I can still remember reading the newspaper article from that time.

You can never be too cautious.

There have been a few cases in many sports, most notably Cameroons Marc-vivien Foe who died on the pitch in a confederations cup game and Miklos Feher who died during a club game in Hungary I think.

The culprit was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is genetic condition where the heart wall thickens due to exercise and eventually fails, this was probably what happened this week too. There was also an NBA guy a couple of years ago who quit due to being diagnosed with HCM. You hear about it happening in local league and juniors from time to time too.

 

[CAS79]

We also need to consider training venues too, not just the grounds


Scott Mason a Sheffield Shield cricketer died while in the nets at Bellerive oval in 2005 under the supervision of Jamie Cox and the Tasmanian coaching staff... admittedly He had a history of heart problems and had only recently returned to cricket after heart valve replacement surgery when it occurred.

but the point was it could just as easily happen at a training session and we don't know the equipment is there like it is at the actual venue.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Other than a hospital, it's probably the best place to have a heart attack.

didn't help my grandfather. Would have preferred the footy pitch tbh

 

[seanoff]

apart from the medical help available at the ground which would rival most A&E departments.


the other thing is is that most AFL grounds are within throwing distance of at least 1 hospital. the MCG has, 3 or 4? within 2 minutes.

 

[Mr Eagle]

Didn't Nathan Eagleton collapse on field with a heart problem many years back?

 

[Bouvet_Island]

Not AFL, but the single most amazing job ever done by a professional sports medic....

Warning: not for the faint of heart...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR-wA4SmbO4


Pretty amazing story if you want to read it...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Malarchuk

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Many years ago a spectator had a heart attack at Kardinia Park, it was on the Moorabool St side, in those days the benches and all the medical staff were on the Latrobe Tce side of the ground.

They wouldn't allow the ambulance onto the ground. When they finally made a decision and let the ambulance enter the arena it was too late.

 

[chinggis77]

AFL would be much better placed than soccer and has been for a long time.

As a contact sport we have long had policies in place, to have ambulance's at the ground during the game. That is not just at the professional level but pretty much all levels. We always had an ambulance on hand in the countryside where I played as a kid (maybe not so much for junior games but the seniors definitely had one).

That is actually a recent development in soccer after Peter Cech's injury a few years ago. Back then, Cech had to wait 30 minutes at the ground for an ambulance despite having a fractured skull. That led to a review and now Ambulances must be present at the ground during games. Back then Fabrice Muamba would be dead. In fact Premier League clubs didn't even have to have their doctor present during the game.

AFL, Rugby, Gridiron - have long had policies of having ambulances on hand (and hence trained paramedics with defibs), simply because they are contact sports and prone to serious injury.

 

[mojito]

Guys if you havent seen the thread we've got on the Soccer board, Muamba is now conscious and able to recognise family and friends and answer simple questions.

Just thought I should share that.

 

[IrishHawksFan]

Id say the AFL would be well prepared for such an incident it is the lower leagues where the concern would lie or when the player goes home. Over here the GAA have put a lot of work into making the dangers of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome known. The Cormac Mcanallen cup (international rules trophy) is named after a Tyrone player who died in his sleep after a training session, unfortunetly this is becoming all too common and its now got to the stage where almost every club in the country no matter how small has a defib (at their own cost). A team mate of mine actually collapsed on the field last year they reckon he was dead for nearly 90 seconds but fortunetly the defib brought him back. Its quiet a frightning thing to witness. Would you guys be confident that if you collapsed playing for your local team that the club is prepared enough to help you survive long enough to be brought to hospital?