A SMILING FABRICE MUAMBA has paid tribute to the men and women who saved his life as he prepares to return home from hospital.
The Bolton Wanderers midfielder was discharged from the London Chest Hospital this afternoon, less than a month after he suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed on the pitch.
Doctors said that Mumba, 24, was effectively dead for 78 minutes after he collapsed during Bolton’s FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur on 17 March. The match was abandoned as medics immediately attended to him on the pitch at White Hart Lane, but it was not until doctors at the London hospital had treated him for 30 minutes that his heart started beating again.
Although he remained in a critical condition, Muamba began breathing independently and responding to questions 48 hours later. His condition improved at a remarkable rate and earlier this month, he was able to get out of bed and walk around the hospital.
“I am naturally very pleased to be discharged from hospital and would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to every single member of staff at the London Chest Hospital who have played a part in my care,” Muamba said this afternoon.
Their dedication, professionalism and expertise is simply amazing and I will forever be in their debt. I also wish to say thank you to all the many well-wishers who have sent thousands of messages of support. Now I am out of hospital, I am looking forward to continuing my recovery and spending precious time with my family.
Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle added his thanks: ”It is absolutely fantastic news that Fabrice has been discharged from hospital and everyone at the club is delighted.
“We would also like to add our thanks to the staff at The London Chest Hospital for their care and treatment of Fabrice, which has been outstanding.
“It is important that Fabrice and his family are now given time and space to be together, and we would ask the media to continue to respect their privacy.”
Fantastic news
Hope he gets back to full health
Ah yes, now isn’t that fantastic news!
U make it sound like our docs wouldn’t bother working on them for 78 minutes. Fabrice Muamba was extremely lucky that he was surrounded by highly trained medical personnel when he arrested. If he had arrested at home and had to wait for an ambulance it wud be unlikely that he’d have survived. And even if he had survived after having to wait on an ambulance he may have suffered a hypoxic brain injury as is brain would of been starved of oxygen. Anyways best of luck to him in his recovery, he’s a lucky guy.
Our GAA players are also surrounded by highly trained medical personnel. Im just aware that young men dropping dead on sports fields is endemic here.
It’s not as simple as that Ciara. It depends on the underlying cardiac problem that causes the collapse. Also, the prevalence is broadly the same as in other countries.
that’s some smile on his face….says it all really!!
Delighted hes ok! Just thinking of all the lads who die from SADS here. Would they be alive if our docs worked on them for 78 minutes?
Are you suggesting people don’t try hard enough over here or something?
Well must b the same in Italy in ur opinion
Im not suggesting anything Stadler, im just wondering at what stage is it determined that all hope is lost, nothing more! Paranoid much?
That generally depends on the cause of the arrest. There’s no hard and fast rule – depends on patient condition at the time of the arrest and on the cause of it. Muamba was fortunate to have a ‘shockable rhythm’ which gave him more chance & had a treatable cause of his arrest. 2 heart rhythms respond to defibrillation in cardiac arrest, not everyone is as ‘fortunate’. Good quality CPR also played a part.
No, Ciara, your question asked whether they’d be alive if our docs worked on them for 78 minutes – implying/inferring that either you think our docs wouldn’t work on them long enough, or our docs wouldn’t be sucessful.
Thank you for your mature answer to my question Tom. Stadler, get a grip.
Tom I received very basic training in cpr & thankfully never had to use it yet. But like this lady asked the question if I was in sitution to help could I use cpr for this length of time if I was fit enough or had help. Im just wondering do you.just keep going until professionals arrive.
Pretty much – although CPR would have ya knackered after 5 or 10 mins by yourself. As for Stadler’s reply, I must admit Ciara my first thoughts were the same when I first read your comment :)
Mature, eh? You’re the one with the smart comments like “Paranoid much?” and on about ‘mature’ answers. I questioned the tone of your original comment, that’s it. No wonder FG don’t let you comment on their Facebook page with that attitude.
Just like your profile pic, youre a muppet Stadler.
Tom, it was a question not a statement but Im glad some people had the decency not to jump to their own incorrect conclusions.
Anyhoo, how do docs know when its time to stop? Is it when theres no heart rhythm at all?
Do you understand either of these questions Stadler or are you gonna tell me Im having a go again?
I work in healthcare, Im actually interested in how they decide when its time to stop trying to save a patient.
I think they stop when you get 100 red thumbs :D
If I get 100 red thumbs I ‘ll be wanting a trophy and a congrats card from Michael D.
Ciara, as somebody else has already said, Fabrice Muamba was in a shockable rhythm which means there was some-albeit very erratic-electrical activity in his heart. This is why he was defibrillated several times. If he had been asystolic (no electrical activity at all) he would most likely have died. You don’t stop CPR when the heart is still attempting to beat, regardless of how long you have to do CPR for. Hope that makes it a bit clearer!
Great news. Well done to all those involved.
That Italian case was so sad to hear about. the player’s club (udinese) have vowed to provide life long financial support for his disabled sister.
Great feel good story. Both he & the people that kept him alive are truely remarkable.
His recovery is nothing short of incredible! I do remember reading that doctors attributed his recovery in part to his level of physical fitness which is at its peak. Good to see a family not having to bury someone taken by SADS. Hope to see him back on the pitch in due form.
Ciara I think what your saying is right, Muamba was one of the lucky ones as a cardiac surgeon happened to be watching the match and he was on hand almost immediately. He was then brought to a hospital which caters for hearts only. In Ireland you would be waiting at least 20 mins for an ambulance and then a hospital could be miles away. The nearest to me is at least 40 mins. Delighted for him though as I am sure everyone is
Great News . I wish him and his family well for the future :)
Does anyone know if he will play football again?