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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
American football star Damar Hamlin, 24, suffered a cardiac arrest after colliding with an opponent during a match on Monday evening January 2. Is it possible to have a cardiac arrest due to a violent shock? What is the mechanism that occurs? The explanations of Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
Following a violent shock against an opponent, American football player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the ground, suffering cardiac arrest. Quickly taken care of by the emergency services, which provided him with the first emergency measures, the young man is now hospitalized in critical condition.
Victim of a particular cardiac arrest, the commotio cordis
Doctors don’t know exactly what caused the Buffalo Bills player’s cardiac arrest. They did, however, confirm cardiac arrest, meaning Damer Hamlin’s heart stopped beating properly, unable to pump blood through the body as it usually does. Nevertheless, the track of a commotio cordis is mentioned.
What is the commotio cordis?
The commotio cordis is a “rhythm disorder which results from the percussion of the thorax at the level of the cardiac silhouette at a given instant of the QRS. This can result in ventricular fibrillation” indicates the French Society of Anesthesia and Resuscitation (SFAR) in a dedicated document.
It is a direct blow to the chest at a very precise moment of the cardiac cycle, which can cause this heart failure. The specialists evoke a very short window, of the order of 20 milliseconds, likely to trigger this commotio cordis in the event of an impact.
What is the difference with myocardial contusion?
The other possible diagnosis is trauma to the heart related to the force of the blow. “Myocardial contusion is defined by non-systematized myocardial necrosis lesions which depend on the location and force of the impact on the thorax. further describes the SFAR.
“It’s less likely“says Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.In this hypothesis, the lesions take a few hours to appear, it is not immediate but rather a kind of hematoma on the heart “.
The two pathologies are different from myocardial infarction, which corresponds to a stoppage of the blood supply to the heart muscle itself.
What to do when an accident of this type occurs?
If a person in front of you feels unwell, you must quickly check if they are breathing correctly and if they are responding to a simple order such as: “shake my hand“. If the person is unconscious and not breathing, cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be started immediately, with cardiac massage performed on a hard support, the ground in general. The emergency services must also be immediately notified, in order to ensure medical care as soon as possible.