Minutes, seconds made the difference in response time

IF YOU ARE JUST JOINING US, WE HAVE SOME BREAKING. ALL RIGHT. IF YOU’RE JUST JOINING US, WE DO HAVE BREAKING NEWS. DOCTORS WITH THE U.S. HEALTH ARE GIVING A VERY FIRST UPDATE ON BUFFALO BILLS SAFETY. DEMAR HAMLIN VIA ZOOM. LET’S LISTEN IN. OKAY. SO WE ARE EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM DOCTORS FROM UC HEALTH FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME CONCERNING THE UPDATE ON SAFETY. DEMAR HAMLIN’S HEALTH FOLLOWING HIS COLLAPSE ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL AT PACKER STADIUM ON MONDAY. THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME WE ARE HEARING FROM U.S. DOCTORS. WE HAVE HEARD THAT HIS HEALTH IS IMPROVING VIA THE BUFFALO BILLS AND ALSO COSIGNING FROM UC HEALTH VIA TWITTER. FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM DOCTORS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH DAMAR HAMLIN AND WE’RE WORKING TO GET THAT AUDIO UP JUST NOW. WE’LL HEAR FROM THEM IN JUST A BIT. RIGHT NOW, WE DO HAVE DOCTOR, WE HAVE DR. WILLIAM KNIGHT AND ALSO DR. TIMOTHY PREWITT, WHO WILL BE GIVING THIS UPDATE. LET’S SEE IF THEY ARE READY FOR THAT UPDATE. AND I WANT TO PULL UP THE STATEMENT FROM THE BUFFALO BILLS. IT SEEMS THEY ARE READY. AND RIGHT NOW THE BILLS ARE SAYING, PER THE PHYSICIANS CARING FOR DAMAR HAMLIN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MEDICAL CENTER, DAMAR HAS SHOWN REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT. SO LET’S HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY HERE AT UC HEALTH REPRESENTING THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MEDICAL CENTER HERE AT CINCINNATI, OHIO. WE’RE DELIGHTED TO JOIN YOU TODAY AND TO BE INVITED BY DEMAR’S FAMILY AND THE BUFFALO BILLS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE MEDICAL CONDITION OF DAMAR. I’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS THESE TWO INCREDIBLE PHYSICIANS THAT ARE WITH US TODAY, DR. WILLIAM KNIGHT, A NIGHT BEFORE US IS A PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI COLLEGE OF MEDICINE. DR. KNIGHT IS ALSO THE LEAD PHYSICIAN FOR THE CINCINNATI TEAM OF UNAFFILIATED NEUROTRAUMA CONSULTANTS, VISITING TEAM MEDICAL LIAISON AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SUPPORT, INCLUDING ON FIELD PARAMEDICS, AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, PHYSICIANS AND RESPIRATOR THERAPISTS. DR. TIMOTHY PRITTS IS A TRAUMA SURGEON AND SERVES AS A PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND THE DIVISION CHIEF OF GENERAL SURGERY. I’M GOING TO HAND OUR BEGINNING COMMENTS OVER TO DR. PRITTS SO HE CAN BEGIN TO SHARE THE CURRENT MEDICAL CONDITION OF DAMAR HAMLIN. DR. PRINCE THE AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY, AND GREETINGS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MEDICAL CENTER. IT’S OUR PRIVILEGE TODAY TO MEET WITH YOU AND DR. KNIGHT AND I ARE REPRESENTING THE MANY, MANY INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS THAT HAVE HELPED CARE FOR MR. HAMLIN SINCE THE ON FIELD EVENT. ON MONDAY NIGHT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT THERE HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THIS CONDITION OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. WE HAD SIGNIFICANT CONCERN ABOUT HIM AFTER THE INJURY AND AFTER THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THE FIELD THAT HE IS MAKING SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS. AS OF THIS MORNING, HE IS BEGINNING TO AWAKEN AND IT APPEARS THAT HIS NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION AND FUNCTION IS INTACT. WE ARE VERY PROUD TO REPORT THAT, VERY HAPPY FOR HIM AND FOR HIS FAMILY AND FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS ORGANIZATION THAT HE IS MAKING IMPROVEMENT. HE CONTINUES TO BE CRITICALLY ILL AND CONTINUES TO UNDERGO INTENSIVE CARE IN OUR SURGICAL AND TRAUMA ICU. HE IS BEING CARED FOR BY ICU, NEUROSURGERY, I’M SORRY, NEURO CRITICAL CARE TEAMS, TRAUMA SURGERY AND A CARDIOLOGY TEAM, AS WELL AS OUR EXPERT NURSES AND RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS. THEY ARE ATTENDING TO HIM AND HE STILL HAS SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS THAT HE NEEDS TO MAKE. BUT THIS REMARK, THIS MARKS A REALLY GOOD TURNING POINT IN HIS ONGOING CARE. SINCE WE ARE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN SOME QUESTIONS AND I BELIEVE REPRESENTATIVE IS FROM THE BUFFALO BILLS ARE GOING TO HELP FACILITATE THOSE FOR US. THROUGH ANY QUESTIONS. YEAH, SURE, WE CAN. WE CAN SEE THE CHARTS, BUT. DR. PRINCE AND DR. KING REALLY ARE ALSO REFERRED. DR. PRINCE, DR. KNIGHT, THIS IS CAMERON WOLFE WITHIN A PHONE THAT WAS REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. AND SOME TIME WITH US AND SHARING SOME UPDATES HERE. IMPOSSIBLE TO TAKE US THROUGH THE TIMELINE FROM WHEN DAMAR ARRIVED IN YOUR CARE TO WHERE WE ARE NOW AS FAR AS WHAT YOU GUYS DID WITH HIS US, WITH HIS RECOVERY AND WHERE THAT PROGRESS IN SPECIFIC IS. THAT WITH THE PERSON WHO JUST POSED THE LAST QUESTION. COME THROUGH. CLEARLY THERE NOW CAN YOU TRY AGAIN? YES. APOLOGIES. FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE YOU, DOCTOR. DR. PRINCE AND DR. KNIGHT FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CARE IN THIS SITUATION. AND WE’LL LOOK INTO PHONE NETWORK. JUST WANTED TO INQUIRE IF YOU CAN TAKE US THROUGH THE TIMELINE FROM WHEN DAMAR CAME INTO YOUR CARE AND TO WHERE HE IS NOW AS FAR AS WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO GET HIM TO THIS IMPROVEMENT STAGE. SURE. AND THANKS FOR FOR BEING HERE TODAY. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT OUR TEAM INVOLVED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THE CARE TEAM INVOLVED AND HELPING WITH MR. HAMLIN ON THE FIELD ON MONDAY NIGHT. HE WAS ATTENDED TO BY FOUR OF OUR EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS SERVING IN THE VARIOUS ROLES AS THE AIRWAY PHYSICIAN, THE VISITING TEAM MEDICAL LIAISON, A NEUROTRAUMA CONSULTANT, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE TEAM PHYSICIANS FOR THE INSIDE BELLES CINCINNATI BENGALS AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, MR. HAMLIN SUFFERED A CARDIAC ARREST ON THE FIELD AND IT WAS PROBABLY RECOGNIZED BY THE BUFFALO BILL’S MEDICAL STAFF, AND THAT ALLOWED FOR A VERY IMMEDIATE RESUSCITATION ON THE FIELD. HE WAS PROBABLY RESUSCITATED AND DID REQUIRE CPR AND FIBRILLATION AND AT WHICH POINT HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER, WHERE HE WAS MET BY DOCTOR, BY DR. PRINCE. AND THE TRAUMA TEAM, AS WELL AS OUR EMERGENCY MEDICINE COLLEAGUES. HE WAS MANAGING, RESUSCITATED AND WORKED UP IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, HAD SOME ADDITIONAL TESTS IN THE KNEE AND IN THE HOSPITAL ROOM, AND THEN HAS BEEN MANAGED IN THE SURGICAL ICU AS DR. PRINCE SAID, IT’S BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT ROAD FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS AND HE HAS BEEN VERY SICK AND AND HAS MADE A FAIRLY REMARKABLE RECOVERY AND IMPROVEMENT TO THE POINT AS, AS TEN NOTED, HE IS NOW DEMONSTRATING THAT SIGN OF GOOD NEUROLOGIC RECOVERY, AS WELL AS OVERALL CLINICAL IMPROVEMENT AS AS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, RELATED TO NOT JUST HIS VITAL SIGNS, BUT A LOT OF HIS OTHER INDIVIDUAL ORGAN RECOVERY. AND DOCTOR, THIS IS THIS IS THAD BROWN FROM WRC TELEVISION IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. AGAIN, LIKE CAMERON SAID, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU’VE DONE WITH THIS. CAN YOU SPEAK AT ALL TO THE CAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT CAUSED THE CARDIAC ARREST? AND I THINK SPECIFICALLY, WAS IT SIMPLY THE ACTIONS THAT HAPPENED ON THE FIELD OR WAS THERE SOMETHING EXISTING THAT MADE MR. HANLON I GUESS SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS HAPPENING? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT THAT THAT WORKUP IS ONGOING. WE DO NOT HAVE DEFINITIVE ANSWERS AS TO THE ETIOLOGY OF THE ARREST AT THIS TIME, AND THAT TESTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ONGOING AS HE CONTINUES TO PROGRESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HI, DR. KNIGHT AND DR. PRICE. THIS IS MAP OF WITH KBW IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. AS EVERYBODY IS ALSO SAID, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. I KNOW YOU BRIEFLY MENTIONED IT TO CAMERON. QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE TIMELINE WAS LIKE, BUT CAN YOU GUYS GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL OR EXPLAIN HOW CRITICAL THOSE FIRST TWO MOMENTS WERE ON THE FIELDS TO ULTIMATELY GET HIM TO THIS POINT AND WHAT THE DOCTORS AND THE MEDICAL STAFF AND THE BILLS AND BENGALS WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THAT PERIOD. SURE. I THINK IT JUST SPEAKS REALLY TO THE IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING SIGNIFICANTLY AND SERIOUSLY WRONG BY THE BILLS MEDICAL STAFF I P TEAM AND I SPEAK TOGETHER. WE CANNOT CREDIT THEIR TEAM ENOUGH. THEY’RE OFTEN UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE INJURIES OCCASIONALLY THAT HAPPEN ON SPORTS FIELDS, BE IT FOOTBALL OR OTHERS. BUT IT IS INCREDIBLY RARE TO HAVE SOMETHING BE THIS SERIOUS THAT HAPPENS LIKE THAT AND TO BE THAT QUICKLY RECOGNIZED. WHAT THEY DID WAS IMMEDIATELY MARSHALL THE EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN, MEANING THE EMERGENCY MEDICINE SERVICES THAT PROMPTED THE AIRWAY PHYSICIAN, THE EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN THAT WAS OUT ON THE ON THE FIELD TO BE AT HIS BEDSIDE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. HE HAD A PROMPT RECOGNITION OF LOSS OF PULSE, WHICH GAVE HIM IMMEDIATE BYSTANDER CPR, WHICH AS A RESULT, HE MAYBE NO, RARELY, IF EVER, HAPPENS. AND SO THE FACT THAT THAT MR. HAMLIN HAD IMMEDIATE BYSTANDER CPR, IN ADDITION TO PROMPT RECOGNITION OF HIS ARRHYTHMIA TO GET DEFIBRILLATOR DID AND THEN AND THEN BACK TO THE RETURN OF CIRCULATION VERY QUICKLY THAT SPEAKS TO THAT TIMELINE THAT YOU’RE ASKING ABOUT TO GET THE RETURN OF SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION WITH IMMEDIATE BYSTANDER CPR THAT WAS PERFORMED WELL, ALL MEETING THE STANDARD OF WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IN THAT SCENARIO IS WHAT HAS LED US TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THESE GOOD OUTCOMES TODAY. I WILL SECOND THAT THE BILLS TRAINING STAFF WHO WAS WITH THEM IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WAS NOT A RUN OF THE MILL INJURY AND THAT THEY HAD A SIGNIFICANT EVENT ON THEIR HANDS AND IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AND GOT THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM INVOLVED IN HIS CARE AND REALLY THIS WAS WENT AS WELL AS SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD GO UNDER VERY CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES. AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB, WHICH IS WHY WE’RE HERE TODAY AND UNDERSTAND HOW COMPLICATED OF A SITUATION THIS ULTIMATELY IS. WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT IF THINGS WOULD HAVE TAKEN A FEW EXTRA MINUTES OR MAYBE EVEN A FEW EXTRA SECONDS, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT OUTCOME HERE? I THINK THAT’S FAIR TO SAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU BOTH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. AND FOR THE TIME TODAY. THIS IS JOHN. JOHN SCOTT FROM SPECTRUM NEWS IN BUFFALO. YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE SIGNS OF NEUROLOGICAL INTACT. WHAT HAVE BEEN THOSE SIGNS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN FROM HIM THAT THAT GIVE YOU THE REASONING TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT? SO WE’RE IN THE SITUATION WHERE WE WANTED TO ALLOW HIM TO GRADUALLY, YOU KNOW, WAKE UP AS THE REST OF HIS BODY WAS HEALING AND LAST NIGHT HE WAS ABLE TO EMERGE AND FOLLOW COMMANDS AND EVEN ASK WHO HAD WON THE GAME. AND TIMELINE WISE, I’M SURE YOU DON’T NECESSARILY DEAL WITH THESE EVENTS REGULARLY, BUT HOW COMMON IS IT FROM MONDAY NIGHT TO NOW FOR THAT SORT OF IMPROVEMENT TO BE MADE? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS IT’S VARIABLE. WE DO MANAGE POST CARDIAC ARREST PATIENTS ROUTINELY AS PART OF CRITICAL CARE IN ALL OF OUR ICU, AND IT’S VARIABLE, BUT IT’S SPEAKS TO HIS AGE, HIS INCREDIBLE FITNESS. AND THEN AGAIN, I DON’T THINK THAT WE CAN EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE IMMEDIATE MEDICAL RESPONSE, THE FACT THAT HE HAD HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS FROM THE BUFFALO BILLS, IN ADDITION TO HAVING PARAMEDICS EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS, RESTAURANT THERAPISTS, ALL RIGHT. AT HIS BEDSIDE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE FROM THE COLLAPSE. THAT SPEAKS TO THAT ABILITY THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT HE HAD GOOD PERFUSION TO HIS BRAIN, THAT LED TO TWO NO IDENTIFIABLE NEUROLOGIC DEFICIT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. PRINCE. I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING YOU SAID THAT DAMAR SPOKE LAST NIGHT. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I CAN CLARIFY. HE DID NOT SPEAK. HE WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IN WRITING AND HE IS UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH US YET, AS HE STILL HAS A BREATHING TUBE IN. AND WE ARE STILL ASSISTING HIM WITH VENTILATION. SO THE YOU KNOW, WHEN HE WAS COMMUNICATING WITH US LAST NIGHT AND THEN AGAIN TODAY THAT’S BEEN IN THE. AND, YOU KNOW, TO PARAPHRASE ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN YOU ASKED, DID WE WIN THE ANSWER IS YES. YOU KNOW, DEMAR, YOU WON. YOU’VE WON THE GAME OF LIFE. AND THAT’S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OUT OF THIS. AND WE REALLY NEED TO KEEP HIM IN THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT’S GOING ON. AND WE REALLY WANT TO ENSURE A GOOD OUTCOME FOR YOU. HI, THIS IS TODD -- WITH WLWT TV HERE IN CINCINNATI. AND DOCTORS, AGAIN, I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU’VE DONE, WORK ON THE FIELD AND SO FORTH. I WAS FASCINATED. I THINK SO MANY OF US WERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROTOCOLS. THE NFL HAS IN PLACE, THE 60 MINUTE MEETING AND SO FORTH. WHEN THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER TALKED ABOUT THAT YESTERDAY AND THE QUESTION WAS ASKED A BIT EARLIER, BUT I’LL CIRCLE BACK. HAD THERE NOT BEEN ONE THING IN THAT PROTOCOL THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE, WHETHER IT WAS EQUIPMENT OR MIGHT NOT HAVE WORKED OR PERSONNEL OR SO FORTH, WHAT WOULD THAT ONE THING HAVE BEEN THAT COULD HAVE LED TO A MORE, YOU KNOW, TRAGIC OUTCOME? BECAUSE I THINK WE’RE ALL REALIZING THAT THE NFL DOES A LOT OF PRE PLANNING FOR THESE KINDS OF SITUATIONS. I’M JUST CURIOUS TO GET YOUR TAKE ON THAT. I’M NOT SURE THERE IS ONE THING I THINK THAT THAT REALLY SPEAKING AND EMPHASIZING TO THAT TEAM APPROACH THAT IF YOU SEE THOSE PICTURES IN THAT VIDEO OF THE CONGREGATION OF A TEAM OR THE TEAM, YOU HAD THOSE PROFESSIONALS, BANGLES, PROFESSIONALS, INDEPENDENT OF PHYSICIANS. BUT WE HAVE ALL THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT. THERE’S ALL THE EMS EQUIPMENT, AIRWAY EQUIPMENT, ADVANCED CARDIAC LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT, THE ABILITY TO DO CPR, THE ABILITY TO DEFIBRILLATOR IS ALL THERE AND ALL SPELLED OUT IN TERMS OF ACCESSIBILITY. SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO OUR TEAM, WE HAD SEVERAL OF MY PARTNERS THAT WERE THAT WERE TEAMMATES, THAT WERE PARTNERS THAT WERE HELPING TO RESUSCITATE MR. HAMLIN. AND YOU HAVE THOSE SCENARIOS WHERE PEOPLE KNOW EACH OTHER AND THEY TRAIN TOGETHER. THERE’S NOT A LOT OF SPEAKING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. THEY KNOW HOW TO WORK AND KNOW HOW TO INTEGRATE. NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN DR. PRINCE AND I ARE WORKING IN THE TRAUMA YOU SEE. AND THAT REALLY GOES A LONG WAY TO HELPING WITH THAT IN TERMS OF THAT OVERALL MANAGEMENT. BUT WAS THERE ONE THING OR IS THERE ONE THING THAT IF ABSENT, WOULD HAVE LED TO A POOR OUTCOME? I CAN’T SAY THAT THERE WAS ANY ONE THING BECAUSE IT REALLY IS THE ENTIRE GLOBAL SPECTRUM OF CARE FROM THE MINUTE IT COLLAPSED UNTIL THE ONGOING CARRIERS RECEIVING RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE ICU. THANK YOU. HI, THIS IS CATHERINE FITZGERALD FROM THE BUFFALO NEWS. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THIS CLARITY AND EVERYTHING YOU’RE DOING. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD JUST ADD A BIT MORE CONTEXT ON KIND OF WHAT NEXT STEPS WILL LOOK LIKE FOR RECOVERY FROM DAMAR. YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED HOW HIS HIS HEALTH PUTS HIM IN A GOOD POSITION, BUT JUST FROM A HUMAN STANDPOINT, JUST KIND OF WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE FROM HERE FOR HIM. YEAH, FOR FOR MORRIS THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY STEPS STILL AHEAD OF HIM. FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM CONTINUE TO IMPROVE, TO BE COMPLETELY BREATHING ON HIS OWN. AND THEN TO BE READY TO BE DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL. SO THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS AS WE GO FOR HIS CARE. YOU KNOW, HIS FAMILY HAS BEEN WITH HIM AT HIS BEDSIDE, AS HAVE MEMBERS OF BUFFALO BILL ORGANIZATION, REALLY SINCE THIS ALL BEGAN. AND WE REALLY WANT TO GET HIM HOME TO THEM. AND SO THOSE WILL BE THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS. AND THEN WE’LL TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. YEAH. HEY, GUYS, IT’S LIZ. BONUS FROM WKYC TV, CINCINNATI. SO EXCITED TO JUST TALK TO YOU FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND I WANT TO SAY YOU’VE CERTAINLY MADE A DIFFERENCE SHOWCASING OUR CITY AND THE GREAT MEDICAL CARE HERE. A COUPLE OF THINGS. I’D HEARD THAT HE HAD TO BE TRACKED ON THE FIELD. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD COMMENT ON THAT. AND THAT AS A RESULT, THERE MAY BE SOME LUNG CHALLENGES. AND THEN I ALSO JUST WONDERED, YOU KNOW, KIND OF FROM HERE, WHAT ABOUT THE PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS NOW? DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO FULLY WALK AND TALK AND ALL THE REST OF THAT SOUNDS LIKE THE BRAIN FUNCTION. WE ARE REALLY WORRIED ABOUT IS GOOD, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE REST? LES, I CAN ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION. HE IS NOT TRAINED ON THE FIELD. HE WAS INTUBATED ON THE FIELD, HAD A WHAT I WOULD DEEM A TEXTBOOK RESUSCITATION ON THE FIELD FROM IMMEDIATE BYSTANDER CPR DEFIBRILLATION, AIRWAY MANAGEMENT AND THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. BUT IT’S CRITICAL THAT WE DO THAT RESUSCITATION RIGHT AT THE SCENE OF WHERE A CARDIAC ARREST IS. THAT PORTENDS THE BEST RECOVERY. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC OR OR OR OR AIRWAY OTHER THAN THE END OF TRACHEAL TO THAT HE HAS. AS FOR THE LONG TERM RECOVERY, AGAIN, WE’RE FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT NOW AND HE STILL HAS A LITTLE WAYS TO GO IN TERMS OF LIBERATION FROM THE VENTILATOR. AND I THINK THAT THAT’S GOING TO BE OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF HELPING HIM TO RECOVER, LIBERATE, CONTINUE TO GET STRONGER AND REHABILITATE. BUT IT IS ENTIRELY TOO EARLY TO PROJECT INTO THE FUTURE. SO IS THERE ANY REASON THAT YOU DON’T EXPECT HIM TO MAKE A FULL RECOVERY? AGAIN, MORE FOCUSING ON RIGHT NOW. I DON’T HAVE ANY REASON TO EXPECT OR NOT TO EXPECT ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE. JUST FOCUSING ON WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. LAST THING, LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU GUYS. AND I’M JUST WONDERING IF YOU FELT IT. YEAH, WE HAVE. IT’S BEEN IT’S BEEN VERY POWERFUL. WE’VE BEEN SURROUNDED BY A GREAT. I THINK WE KEEP USING THE WORD TEAM AND THAT BY. BY DR. PRINCE. AND I’VE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO KNOW THIS AMAZING FAMILY AND THIS AMAZING ORGANIZATION OF IN A MATTER OF 48 HOURS, HAVING FRIENDS AND HAVING FAMILY OF OF THE HUGS AND THE TEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SHED JUST BY THE PROGRESS THAT’S BEEN MADE. BUT THEN LOOKING OUTSIDE, I MEAN, ALL I HAVE TO DO IS LOOK OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER AND I SEE VIGILS AND POSTERS AND WELL-WISHERS AND THE FOOD THAT I SHOWED UP AT THE HOSPITAL FOR THE SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILY AND FOR THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND FOR THE SURGICAL ICU TEAM. THE SUPPORT THAT’S BEEN DONE TO THE FAMILY. THE FAMILY IS IS WONDERFUL. THEY’VE BEEN RIGHT HERE. THEY’VE BEEN THEY’VE BEEN GREAT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STAY. AND SO HAVE WE FELT IT. YEAH. IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG TO LOOK OUTSIDE AND SEE THE LIGHTS, THE BLUE IN THE RED AND AROUND THE CITY OF CINCINNATI. THE SUPPORT FROM LOCAL RESTAURANT, THE SUPPORT FROM THE FANS AND JUST AND JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED. SO, YES, IT’S BEEN VERY POWERFUL AND THERE’S DEMAND FOR IT TO HE’S HE’S HE’S LEARNING IT TODAY. LEARNED IT TODAY. EXCELLENT. THANKS, GUYS. I GO AS COLBY HARVEY WITH ESPN AND JUST ECHOING EVERYONE ELSE. REALLY. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO US. I ACTUALLY KIND OF JUST HAVE TWO QUESTIONS, BUT I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT LAST POINT. YOU GUYS HAVE MENTIONED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION WITH DEMAR WRITING. I’M CURIOUS, WHAT ARE YOU ALL ABLE TO SEE THAT THAT HE’S UNDERSTANDING OR PROCESSING WHAT ALL HAS HAPPENED TO HIM THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS? YEAH, WE’VE DISCUSSED WITH HIM WHAT HAPPENED, WHERE HE IS NOT QUITE TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION BECAUSE AGAIN, STILL HAS A BREATHING TUBE IN AND IS ABLE TO GIVE ME WITH A YES AND NO IS BASICALLY SAID THAT IS THAT OR WITH WITH BRIEF NOTES. YOU KNOW WE HE WAS EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT HE HAD BEEN YOU KNOW, NOT WITH THIS WITH THE WORLD FOR TWO DAYS AND WE’VE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT ALL THE SUPPORT THAT’S BEEN GIVEN FROM CINCINNATI, BUFFALO, AND REALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY DURING THIS TIME. YOU KNOW, HIS HIS MOM AND DAD HAVE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED. AND WE EXPECT THAT WE’LL CONTINUE TO HAVE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM. YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, HIS FIRST YOU KNOW, FIRST QUESTION THAT HE WROTE WHEN HE WHEN HE STARTED TO AWAKEN WAS IT WAS THAT WE WENT SO WE KNOW THAT HE’S REALLY IT’S NOT ONLY THAT THE LIGHTS ARE ON. WE KNOW THAT HE’S ALL AND THAT APPEARS AT ALL ALSO UNDER FIRE. AND ONE THING HIS BRAIN WHICH IS GREATLY GRATIFYING FOR ALL OF US, FOR THE NURSES AND THE REST OF THE THERAPIST AND THE CARE TEAM THAT’S BEEN IS FOR HIS FAMILY AND FOR EVERYBODY ELSE BEYOND. AND MY LAST OTHER QUESTION IS, WHAT COMES NEXT? WHAT, WHAT WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU ALL LOOKING TO SEE NEXT AS YOU BEGIN TO TO TO GO FORWARD WITH HIS RECOVERY? YEAH, WELL, WE WANT TO SEE HIM CONTINUE TO BREATHE MORE ON HIS OWN THEN WE WANT TO GET HIM BREATHING COMPLETELY ON HIS OWN. THAT’LL BE THE NEXT BIG MILESTONE FOR HIM. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. DOCTORS ADAM KILGORE WITH THE WASHINGTON POST. THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. AT THIS STAGE. WHAT WOULD YOU PROJECT TO BE THE BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR DEMAR’S ULTIMATE RETURN TO FUNCTION? I THINK I MEAN, WHAT IS THE BEST? THE BEST IS GETTING INTO THE WAY HE WAS AT 8:00 ON MONDAY. EVENING IS COMPLETELY NEUROLOGICALLY INTACT. STRONG, GOOD LUNG FUNCTION. NO CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION WITH HIS HEART. THE BEST OUTCOME WOULD BE BACK TO WHO HE WAS BEFORE THIS ALL HAPPENED. YOU JUST. HI, THIS IS JACQUELINE HOWARD FROM CNN. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING MY QUESTION. AND THANKS FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT JUST THE CHAIN OF EVENTS AND WHAT HAPPENED. WE’RE CURIOUS, DID HE HAVE A SECOND RESUSCITATION AT THE HOSPITAL? AND THEN HOW LONG WAS THE DEFIBRILLATOR USED AND THE TOTAL MINUTES OF CPR? AND LASTLY, CAN YOU CONFIRM IS HE MOVING HIS HANDS AND FEET AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU. SO I’LL START IN REVERSE. HE’S MOVING HIS HANDS AND FEET AND AGAIN APPEARS TO BE NEUROLOGICALLY INTACT TO BOTH OUR EXAM AND OUR NEURO NEUROLOGY CONSOLE AND EXAM. SO APPEARS TO BE DOING WELL. HE IS HE RECEIVED ONE DEFIBRILLATOR AND ONE ROUND OF CPR. THAT WAS ON THE FIELD. HE DID NOT RECEIVE SECOND DEFIBRILLATOR AND OR ADDITIONAL CPR ONCE HE WAS IN THE AMBULANCE OR AT THE HOSPITAL. NEW DOCTORS, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST SAID, THE BEST IS GETTING HIM BACK TO THE WAY HE WAS PRIOR TO THE INJURY. DOES THAT MEAN THE DOOR IS OPEN FOR HIM TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL AGAIN? AND THEN IN THE MORE IMMEDIATE TERM, WHAT’S A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO SUSPECT THAT HE WILL REMAIN IN INTENSIVE CARE AND IN THE HOSPITAL AS A WHOLE? I THINK THE ANSWER TO THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT HIS FUTURE IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IS THAT IT’S AN ENTIRELY TOO EARLY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. HE’S STILL CRITICALLY IN THE ICU. OUR FOCUS IS ON GETTING HIM BETTER, TO GET HIM EXCAVATED AND AND ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY. SO IT TRULY IS TOO EARLY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. I ALREADY FORGOT YOUR SECOND QUESTION. I APOLOGIZE, BUT WHO ARE THE REAL, REAL NEXT STEPS ARE ALLOWING HIM TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER. AND WE’RE SO FOCUSED ON THE DAY TO DAY AND THEN WE’LL TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS AFTER THAT. THIS IS TOM PUCKETT FROM WABE ON NEWSRADIO 930 IN BUFFALO. DOCTORS, I KNOW YOU JUST ANSWERED CHRIS’S QUESTION ABOUT THE TIME FRAME FOR DEMAR HAMLIN’S RETURN GOING THROUGH THE PRO FOOTBALL. BUT HOW MUCH POST HOSPITALIZATION, PHYSICAL THERAPY AND THE LIKES WILL HE NEED BEFORE HE GETS CLEARANCE TO RETURN TO FOOTBALL? YEAH, THAT’S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. AND THAT’S A VERY IT’S REALLY INDIVIDUALIZED TO EACH PERSON. AND THAT THAT PROCESS OF RECOVERY, REHABILITATION AND STARTS TO REALLY ENGAGE INVOLVE PHYSICAL THERAPIST REHAB PHYSICIANS IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE HIS NEEDS. HE WAS INCREDIBLY SICK FOR TWO DAYS IN THE ICU AND AND WE WOULD EXPECT THAT AS HE CONTINUES TO RECOVER, WE’LL SEE WHAT KIND OF SEQUELA THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE FROM THAT. A LOT OF IT IS JUST GOING TO BE DEFINING WHAT KIND OF STRENGTH MAY HE HAVE FROM THAT AND RECOVER AS WE GET HIS NUTRITION BACK UP TO PAR AND HIS STRENGTH BACK UP TO PAR IN HIS REHAB AND RECOVERY. SO IT’LL BE A VERY INDIVIDUALIZED, TAILORED PLAN THAT’LL BECOME A LOT MORE CLEAR WHEN WE’RE IN THAT PHASE, WHICH WE’RE STILL A LITTLE WAYS OUT FROM. HELLO TO YOU BOTH AND THANK YOU. AS ALL OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING SO MUCH FOR TAKING SOME TIME TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY. THIS IS JOHN WARNER FROM KCI IN PITTSBURGH. YOU MENTIONED LIBERATION FROM THE VENTILATOR. WHAT HURDLES ARE STILL LEFT FOR DEMAR TO GET OFF THE VENTILATOR? AND HOPEFULLY, AS I KNOW, A LOT OF US ARE HOPING TO HAVE HIM GET OUT OF THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. YEAH, WE SORT OF VIEW THE VENTILATOR AS AN AID FOR HIM AS HE NEEDS IT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE INITIAL EVENT, WE WERE SUPPORTING HIM ON THE VENTILATOR HUNDRED PERCENT. AND WHAT OUR GOAL REALLY IS FOR LIBERATION FROM MECHANICAL VENTILATION IS TO GRADUAL DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND LET HIM PICK UP THE DIFFERENCE. THEN WHEN WE REACH 0% SUPPORT. BREATHING TUBE COMES OUT AND THEN WE DEFINE THAT AS SUCCESS. SO, HI, THIS IS MORE AT HOME AND WITH TODAY. THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME. THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF SPECULATION AROUND THE FACT THAT DEMAR’S CONDITION MIGHT BE RELATED TO A CONDITION CALLED MOTO CORDIS. I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU GUYS HAD ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT. I KNOW IT’S A LITTLE EARLY TO TELL AT THIS STAGE ABOUT THE ETIOLOGY, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON WHETHER THAT MIGHT BE PLAYING A ROLE AND IF SO, HOW THAT MAY AFFECT THE RECOVERY PROCESS? THANK YOU. FOR SURE. WE’VE SIMILARLY HEARD THOSE SAME SUGGESTIONS. AND THE WAY THAT I WOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS THAT THAT CONDITION COMMERCIAL CORDIS IS AN INCREDIBLY RARE EVENT THAT HAPPENS. IT’S ALSO A DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION IN OUR WORLD, WHICH BASICALLY MEANS WE HAVE TO RULE OUT MANY OTHER MORE COMMON OR MORE DEADLY OR MORE FIXABLE TYPE CONDITIONS BEFORE WE CAN SETTLE IN ON AN ULTIMATE DIAGNOSIS SUCH AS THAT. AND SO HE HAS ONGOING TESTING. THERE WILL BE TESTS IN THE FUTURE. AND SO I GUESS IT WOULD SUMMARIZE DOWN TO IT. IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO SAY THAT. IS IT ON THE LIST OF CONSIDERATIONS? IT IS, BUT HE HAS MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH BEFORE A FINAL ETIOLOGY OR CAUSE FOR THIS ARREST CAN BE DEFINITIVELY DEFINED. HI, DOCTORS. MAGGIE WITH NBC NEWS. THANK YOU AGAIN, ECHOING WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING. FIRST AND FOREMOST, A MINOR DETAIL QUESTION, BUT WHAT IS HE RIDING ON? IS IT A WHITEBOARD OR A NOTEPAD? IT’S IT’S HIGH TECH. IT’S AN INDEPENDENT PIECE OF PAPER AND A CLIPBOARD. OH, WOW. YEAH, THAT THAT’S A VERY HIGH TECH. THANK YOU. OKAY. THE NEXT QUESTION I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS ON NEXT STEPS AND WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD. WE WERE WONDERING, IS THERE A TIMELINE BY WHICH YOU SORT OF REALLY WANT TO SEE HIM BREATHING ON HIS OWN, MEANING, IF YOU DON’T GET IT BY THAT TIME, IT COULD HAVE CONSEQUENCES. THAT’S A THAT’S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. EVERY PATIENT IS DIFFERENT. AND WHEN FAMILIES ASK ME HOW LONG DO I NEED TO BE IN THE ICU, HOW LONG IS OUR FAMILY MEMBER GOING TO NEED TO BE ON A VENTILATOR? THE ANSWER IS AS LONG AS IT TAKES IN WHATEVER YOU NEED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE HIM ALL THE SUPPORT AND INTENSIVE PHYSICIAN, ICU AND RESPIRATORY CARE THAT HE NEEDS. BUT OUR GOAL IS TO EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO FEEL THAT ALL THE WAY SO THAT HE’S DOING IT ALL. BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS, AS LONG AS IT TAKES. THERE’S NO THRESHOLD IN OUR WORLD BEYOND WHICH THERE’S THERE’S DAMAGE FROM THE DONORS SUPPORT ITSELF AND BUT, YOU KNOW, WE LIKE TO LIBERATE HIM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I APPRECIATE. AND THEN CAN YOU ALSO JUST KIND OF TEXT SAY WHO, IF ANYONE IN PARTICULAR HE WAS ASKING THAT FIRST QUESTION TO LIKE MAYBE WHO’S THE FIRST PERSON HE TALKED TO WHEN HE WOKE UP? BUT I CAN’T SAY NAMES. THAT WAS TO HIS BEDSIDE NURSE LAST NIGHT. OKAY. GOTCHA. SO AND IS HE HOLDING ANYONE’S HAND? WE HAD HEARD HE MIGHT BE HOLDING FAMILY MEMBERS HANDS. YEAH. HOW MANY PEOPLE’S ANSWER MY HAND. HE DID IS HIS PARENTS HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN WITH HIM CONSTANTLY. THERE’S A LOT OF FAMILY MEMBERS, A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM, HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS AS AGAIN, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE BUFFALO BILLS ADMINISTRATIVE AND MEDICAL TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY AT HIS BEDSIDE THROUGHOUT, WHICH IS IT IS ADMIRABLE IN TERMS OF THE FOR THE BILLS THAT HAVE SHOWN HERE. AND SO, YES, HE’S HELD MANY PEOPLE’S HEARTS AND AND YOU KNOW THE BILLS ORGANIZATION FOLKS AS WELL AS THE FAMILY HAVE BEEN WITH HIM CONSTANTLY. HE’S INTERACTED WITH ALL OF THEM TODAY. AND SO IT’S BEEN HE’S BEEN VERY INTERACTIVE THEM. GREAT. THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON. LARRY SILVER WITH WCCO IN CINCINNATI. TIMELINE QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED THE CARE THAT HAPPENED WITHIN A MINUTE OF HIM BEING DOWN ON THE FIELD. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE ADDITIONAL TIMELINE OF HOW MUCH TIME IT TOOK TO GET HIM FROM BEING INTUBATED THERE ON THE FIELD TO BEING IN THE AMBULANCE TO BEING IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, RECEIVING THAT THAT CARE THERE. BEYOND THE ON FIELD RESUSCITATION TIMELINE. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE REVIEWED AND REALLY LOOKED AT IN DEPTH KIND OF AT A LATER MOMENT. WE LIKE TO DO A MORE DETAILED DEBRIEF TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT FOR BOTH REVIEW AND OVERALL QUALITY ASSURANCE IN GENERAL. IT WAS IT WAS SEVERAL MINUTES ON THE FIELD BEFORE HE BEFORE CPR WAS STARTED, JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE CPR STARTED, AS WELL AS BEFORE THE DEFIBRILLATION. HE INITIALLY HAD A PULSE ON THE ON THE ON THE FIELD. AND THEN LOST IT UNDER THE NOSE OF THE PHYSICIANS AND THE TEAM THAT WAS WITH HIM. AND SO HE HAD TRULY IMMEDIATE BYSTANDER CPR AND THEN A DEFIBRILLATOR AND HAPPENED WITHIN SEVERAL MINUTES AS WELL AT THAT POINT. AND THAT’S THAT IS REALLY FOR THE KIND OF ARRHYTHMIA THAT HE HAD. AND AT WHICH POINT THEN WHILE HIS RESPIRATIONS WERE BEING SUPPORTED, HE WAS MOVED INTO THE AMBULANCE WHERE HE WAS SUCCESSFULLY AND QUICKLY INTUBATED AND THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE HOSPITAL. AND SO I BELIEVE, IF I’M NOT MISTAKEN, HE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL A LITTLE AFTER A HALF HOUR FROM WHEN HE FELL. 45 MINUTES. I DON’T HAVE THE EXACT TIMELINE, BUT AGAIN, IT WAS ALL TEXTBOOK TO WHAT I WOULD EXPECT FOR THE KIND OF CARDIAC ARREST THAT HE EXPERIENCED. AND AGAIN, WE CAN’T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE QUICK ACTIONS OF THE BILL’S TRAINING STAFF AND THEN THE PHYSICIANS WHO ARE ON THE FIELD WITH GETTING TO HIM, RECOGNIZING THAT THIS WAS A VERY SITUATION AND RESPONDING AND SAVING HIS LIFE. IT WAS REALLY, REALLY OUTSTANDING WORK FROM ALL AND NOT JUST SAVING HIS LIFE, BUT HIS NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION. THE REASON WHY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HIS RECOVERY OF NEUROLOGIC FUNCTION IS THE TRUE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF IMMEDIATE AND GOOD AND HIGH QUALITY CPR AND IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THE TERMINATION. GENTLEMEN, GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU. HAWKINS WORKFORCE FIRST, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I JUST WANT TO SAY GOD BLESS YOU. GOD BLESS THE MEDICAL CENTER FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB THAT YOU’VE DONE IN HANDLING AND HOW DETRIMENTAL WAS IT FOR ELLS AND BENGALS MEDICAL STAFF TO REACT IN THE MANNER THAT THEY DID. I DON’T KNOW IF IT WAS DETRIMENTAL. IF YOU’RE SPEAKING MORE TO THEIR EMOTION MENTAL HEALTH, I WOULD DEFER THE ANSWER TO THEM. THERE WAS NOTHING DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR RESPONSE. THEY THEY HANDLED THIS WHAT OUGHT TO BE A, AGAIN, A TEXTBOOK OR MODEL FOR WHAT I WOULD HOPE SPORTS TEAMS ACROSS, THE COUNTRY WOULD LOOK TO IN TERMS OF HOW THIS WAS RESPONDED TO AND I THINK AT THE END OF THIS, I’LL BE REALLY LOOKED AT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOD FORBID, THE NEXT TIME SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, IT GOES AS WELL AS I WENT TO CINCINNATI AND CINCINNATI, THAT THE. YES, SIR. AND IS THIS ANYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE DEALT WITH BEFORE AND HOW UNIQUE IS THIS INJURY TO MAN? I WAS PROBABLY TWO WAYS TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. IF WE DEALT WITH THIS BEFORE, WE SADLY DEAL WITH EVERY DAY. THIS IS COMMON FOR FOR PATIENTS THAT PRESENT TO MUNCIE APARTMENTS ALL THE TIME IN TERMS OF A CARDIAC ARREST ON A NATIONAL FOOTBALL FIELD ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT’S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS INCREDIBLY RARE AND CERTAINLY TO HAVE THE SUPPORT AND THE RESUSCITATION THAT HE HAD ON THE FIELD HAS NOT NOT BEING SEEN, TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THANK YOU, JOHN. HELLO, GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY. ALEX BARSKY WITH THE BATAVIA DAILY NEWS. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR GUYS RESPONSE TO THE INJURY? WAS THERE ANYBODY, WHETHER YOU TWO OR WITHIN YOUR STAFF WATCHING GAME LIVE? DID YOU SEE IT HAPPEN LIVE? AND THEN JUST THE RESPONSE FROM YOURSELVES AND YOUR STAFF TO JUST SPRING INTO ACTION YOURSELVES AS THE MEDICAL STAFF ON SITE HAD TO, TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS IN POSITION AT THE HOSPITAL TO TO RECEIVE OF DAMAR HAMLIN AS AS HE MADE HIS WAY THERE AND LET ME TWO PART THIS ONE IS I’LL TAKE THE FIRST PART IN THIS THE TOWN THE WAY THAT OUR EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN IS WRITTEN IN COLLABORATION WITH NOT ONLY THE CINCINNATI BENGALS BUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE IS THAT IS VERY WELL AND EXPLICITLY SPELLED OUT WHAT IS TO HAPPEN BOTH IN TERMS OF THE RESPONSE AND THE MANAGEMENT, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNICATION. AND SO YOU HAD FOR EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS FROM REALLY FIVE EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS FROM UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI ON THE SIDELINE IN VARIOUS ROLES SUPPORTING THE GAME VIA THE TRAUMA CONSULTANT, THE VISITING TEAM MEDICAL IS ON THE AIRWAY PHYSICIAN AND THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE AND INCLUDING THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WORKING THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT THAT NIGHT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF MY PARTNERS, WHO IS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR NFL VICTIMS, ALSO FAMILIAR WITH THIS WORLD, WHO WAS THE ATTENDING OF THAT SHIP. AND DR. PRINCE’S TEAM WAS WAS ALSO NOTIFIED. AGAIN, THESE CHANNELS THAT ARE PRETTY WELL SPELLED OUT THROUGH THE EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN. AND SO ALL OF THAT HAPPENS ABSENT OF DR. PRINCE’S EYES, INITIAL PRESENCE, TIM CAME IN AS BACKUP AND THEN I LATER CAME IN ALSO AS BACKUP TO SUPPORT OUR TEAMS TO HELP OFFLOAD AND HELP TO HELP MANAGE WHILE THE IMMEDIATE RESUSCITATION AND MANAGEMENT OF DAMAR WAS ONGOING. SO THE HANDOFF TO TIM, WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE HE WAS BOOTS ON THE GROUND INITIALLY THAT IS ALL VERY WELL SPELLED OUT TO HELP MOBILIZE VERY QUICKLY OUR TRAUMA TEAM AND OUR TRAUMA RESPONSE. IN ADDITION TO CONSULTANTS, WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS THAT WERE READILY AS WELL. YEAH, WE ARE THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MEDICAL CENTER IS PRIVILEGED TO SERVE AS THE ONLY ADULT LEVEL TRAUMA CENTER IN OUR REGION. WE’RE AN ACADEMIC HEALTH CARE CENTER, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE LAYERS AND LAYERS AND LAYERS OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE THAT WE CAN BRING TO BEAR ON AN INDIVIDUAL PATIENT. SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT, THE TRAUMA TEAM WAS ACTIVATED IN ITS USUAL FASHION AND THE PATIENT WHEN HE ARRIVED WAS MET BY THE FULL ASSEMBLAGE OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE PHYSICIANS, SPECIALIZED SHOCK RESUSCITATION UNIT NURSES, TRAUMA SURGEONS, A RESPIRATORY THERAPIST. AND IN ADDITION, BECAUSE OF THE PARTICULAR NATURE OF THIS, BECAUSE HE’S HAD AN ARREST, HE WAS ALSO MET BY OUR CARDIOLOGY TEAM WHO WAS READY TO INTERVENE IF NEEDED. WAS THERE ANYONE ON YOUR STAFF WATCHING THE GAME LIVE AND DID ANYBODY SEE THE INJURY TAKE PLACE LIVE? IF SO, YEAH, IT WAS. WAS THERE ANY REACTION SHARED WITH WITH YOU TO. I THINK PROBABLY EVERYBODY ON THE STAFF WAS WATCHING THE GAME LIVE. IT WASN’T INVOLVED IN PATIENT CARE OF YOU KNOW IT WAS A HIGHLY WATCHED GAME AND WE I KNOW I HAD AT LEAST THREE PARTNERS WHO WERE PHYSICALLY AT THE GAME DURING THIS HAPPENED. I MEAN, THE REACTION LIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN SPORTS, IS ONE OF DISBELIEF AND SADNESS. YOU KNOW, IT’S SPORTS ARE A WONDERFUL THING. YOU KNOW, FOOTBALL IS A GREAT GAME AND YOU HATE TO EVER HAVE ANYTHING HAPPEN. IT’S JUST IT’S IN SPORT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY DON’T TO SEE ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU FOR TIME AND FOR YOUR SERVICE AND. HI THERE, MARSHALL KRASINSKI, WCPN, NINE IN CINCINNATI. TWO QUICK QUESTIONS FOR YOU. YOU SAID EARLIER THAT NOT ONLY IS DAMAR HOME, THE LIGHTS ARE ON. FROM WHAT YOU CAN TELL, HOW IS HE DOING EMOTIONALLY. IT’S HONESTLY, IT IS EARLY TO TELL. I MEAN, HE IS STILL HE’S STILL ON THE VENTILATOR. THAT DOES REQUIRE STILL A LITTLE BIT OF SEDATION TO MAKE SURE HE’S COMFORTABLE BEING ON A VENTILATOR IS NOT THE MOST COMFORTABLE THING. SO THAT IN FAIRNESS TO DAMAR, HAS NOT BEEN FULLY ASSESSED IN TERMS OF EVEN HIS AWARENESS OF EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST THREE DAYS THAT WILL COME MORE AS WE HAVE BETTER ASSESSMENT. WE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NEUROLOGICALLY INTACT, IT’S A VERY IT’S A VERY GROSS TERM OF OF OF BIG MOTOR MOVEMENTS AND FOLLOWING COMMANDS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FINER THINGS THAT MAKE US HUMAN COGNITION, EMOTION, SPEECH, LANGUAGE, ETC., WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THAT SOON AS AND IN RESPONSE TO ALL OF THIS AROUND THE LEAGUE, PLAYERS HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT THE ONE OF THE BEST PLACES FOR THE, GOD FORBID, TRAUMA TO HAPPEN IS SHORT OF A HOSPITAL. AN NFL FIELD. HOW MUCH TRUTH IS THERE TO THAT IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION. IN TERMS OF IN CINCINNATI, JUST BEING ON AN NFL FIELD AND THAT THE CARE THAT THEY CAN BE PROVIDED WITH SO QUICKLY. WELL I MEAN THE BIGGEST THING THAT HAPPENS ON AN NFL FIELD IS THAT EACH TEAM HAS A AND IN SPORTS TEAM HAS AN ENTIRE TEAM OF NOT ONLY ATHLETIC TRAINERS AND ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINERS, BUT ALSO TEAM PHYSICIANS. THERE IS A WIDE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE THAT RANGES EVERYTHING FROM SPORTS, MEDICINE, ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, EMERGENCY MEDICINE, PRIMARY CARE TEAMS HAVE OPHTHALMOLOGY, NEUROSURGEONS. THERE’S A WIDE RANGE OF DIFFERENT SUPPORTS THAT DIFFERENT TEAMS HAVE. AND SO WHEN YOU’RE ON AN NFL SIDELINE AND THERE ARE LAYERS UPON LAYERS OF NOT JUST PREPARATION BUT PRESENCE OF AND IT’S NOT JUST PHYSICIANS THAT ARE PARAMEDICS, THEY’RE RESTAURANT THERAPISTS ALL THERE THAT ARE TRAINED IN A PART OF THIS EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN. AND BEING PART OF THOSE ROLES TO DO THAT. AND SO IS IT A GOOD PLACE TO HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS AGAIN, AS I SAID, YOU DON’T EVER WANT TO HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS, BUT WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF CAMERAS TO RECORD WHAT HAPPENED AND TO HAVE A GOOD VIDEO REVIEW AS WELL. THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE OF HIGHLY TRAINED PHYSICIANS IN SPECIFIC AREAS SUCH AS AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY MEDICINE, ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, SPORTS MEDICINE, PRIMARY CARE, ETC., WITH THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS AFFORDED THERE WITH IMMEDIATE PARAMEDIC AND AMBULANCE SUPPORT. YEAH, IT GIVES US A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS AT THE SCENE THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE AT A GROCERY STORE OR A MALL THAT YOU ARE BRINGING THAT THAT EXPERTISE TO THAT VERSUS IT ALREADY BEING THERE. THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR UPDATING US AND ALL THAT YOU’VE DONE. AND I’M LOOKING. HI, THIS IS DR. LUCA. YOU AND I, INTEL. HI, IT’S DR. LUKE. I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE HAS TO DO WITH ON THE FIELD. I KNOW YOU SAID IT HAS TO STILL BE REVIEWED, BUT IT MIGHT UNDERSTAND THAT HE WENT DOWN AN INITIALLY, HE DID HAVE A PULSE, AND THEN HE LOST THE PULSE. HE HAD A CYCLE OF CPR. HOW LONG WITH THAT CYCLE WAS A 2 MINUTES. AND THEN HE IMMEDIATELY HAD THE FIBRILLATION AGAIN, THE SPECIFIC DETAILS OF THAT REVIEW ARE STILL PENDING, BUT THE HIGH LEVEL ANSWERS TO THAT ARE, YES, HE INITIALLY HAD A PULSE. HE LOST HIS PULSE, HAD IMMEDIATE BYSTANDER CPR FOR THEN THE RHYTHM CHECK HE DID HAVE DEFIBRILLATION AND THEN RETURNED TO SPONTANEOUS CIRCULATION. THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS WITHOUT HAVING THEM IN FRONT OF ME. AND AGAIN, IN DEFERENCE TO THE REVIEW, THAT WILL HAPPEN AS PART OF A DEBRIEF. I DON’T HAVE THOSE IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF ME. OKAY. SO OBVIOUSLY, THAT’S REALLY INTERESTING THAT HE HAD A PULSE THAT HE WASN’T IMMEDIATELY IN V FIB HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AND WE DON’T KNOW THE RATE OF THAT PULSE, I TAKE IT. SO I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE. AND THE OTHER THING IS, IN HOSPITAL, THESE ARE SOME TECHNICAL QUESTIONS, BUT FORGIVE ME FOR THAT. BUT FIRST OF ALL, LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF A YOU CORRECTLY OBVIOUSLY SAID WE DON’T KNOW, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMOTION, OF COURSE, IS A DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION WAS AN ECHOCARDIOGRAM DONE? I ASSUME IT WAS THAT THAT SHOW ANY EVIDENCE OF ANY UNDERLYING ISSUE? AND THEN IN TERMS OF HIS BREATHING, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE IT’S THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS THAT BY O2 IS NOW? AND WITH THE EMV, WITH THE GUARANTEED NUMBER OF RESPIRATORY RESPIRATIONS PER MINUTE IS AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE’S BEEN ANY DAMAGE TO HIS KIDNEYS, LIVER OR ANY OTHER ORGAN, THAT’S A LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT WE’RE NOT PREPARED TO SPEAK TO TODAY. THOSE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS, BUT NOT TODAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WELL DONE. WELL DONE, TEAM. IAN RAPOPORT, NFL NETWORK. THANK YOU GUYS FOR DOING THIS. I HAD TWO SPECIFIC QUESTIONS I WANTED TO CHECK ON. ONE, I HAD HEARD THAT THERE’S A POSITIVE, NO OTHER INJURY, A JAW INJURY, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. IS THAT TRUE? AND THEN TO ADD SOMEBODY TELL ME THAT HE HAD HIS LUNGS CLEANED OUT, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I’M NOT SURE WHAT CLEANING OUT YOUR LUNGS MAY. SO THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. THE THERE IS NO KNOWN DIETARY. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION. SORRY, GUYS. YOU GOT ME CELL CARPACCIO HERE FROM WJR RADIO IN BUFFALO. MY APOLOGIES. MY QUESTION IS, IN THE TIME THAT THE AMBULANCE WAS OFF THE FIELD AND INTO THE TUNNEL, THERE WAS IT DIDN’T IMMEDIATELY GO TO THE HOSPITAL. THERE’S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS AS TO KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING THAT AND WHY THAT WAS. CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHY MAYBE IT DIDN’T GO INITIALLY, WHY IT STAYED BEHIND, WHAT WAS HAPPENING DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT I DON’T HAVE THAT IMMEDIATE INFORMATION, THAT THAT IS SIMILARLY GOING TO BE PART OF THE DEBRIEF. THERE WAS A PORTION, AGAIN, OF THE ONGOING RESUSCITATION IN THE AMBULANCE AND WHETHER THAT WAS PART OF ON THE FIELD OR IN THE TUNNEL OF BOTH HELPING TO GET PREPARING FOR HIS AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, WHICH AGAIN OCCURRED IN THE IN THE AMBULANCE. AGAIN MANAGING HIS OXYGEN SATURATION TO GET HIM OPTIMIZE IS TO THEN INTUBATE HIM AND THEN TRANSPORT HIM TO THE HOSPITAL OUTSIDE OF THAT PARTICULAR PROCESS. I DON’T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE SPECIFIC DETAILS ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THE DEBRIEF. OKAY. THANK YOU. PATRICK MIN FROM THE BUFFALO CRITERION NEWSPAPER. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? THANK YOU. MY QUESTION WAS LOOKING AT THE REPLAY. DEMAR SEEMED TO HIT HIS HEAD PRETTY HARD ON THE TURF. WAS THERE ANY SIGNS OF CONCUSSION OR HEAD TRAUMA TO HIM? WELL, WE CAN TELL YOU NOW THAT HIS NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION APPEARS TO BE INTACT AT PRESENT. SO DID HE DID HE HURT HIS HEAD? ANY. THE TWO WAYS TO ANSWER THAT IS THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE ANY PHYSICAL OR RADIOGRAPHIC SIGNS OF HEAD TRAUMA. CONCUSSION IS A CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS. AND SINCE HE HAS BEEN INTUBATED, LARGELY SEDATED THROUGHOUT HIS COURSE, WE NOT HAD THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT WE WOULD ORDINARILY DO TO EVALUATE AND TEST FOR A CONCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DOCTORS. THIS IS DR. TURNER, LIVE FROM CNN. ALSO, CARDIOLOGISTS ARE MY QUESTION IS SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT DR. LAPCHICK ASKED. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED YOU COULDN’T TALK ABOUT THE ECHO, BUT IS THERE ANY SENSE OF WHAT HIS EJECTION FRACTION IS NOW, WHAT THE PUMPING CAPACITY IS? DID HE DROP HIS HEART FUNCTION? IS IT BACK TO NORMAL? NUMBER ONE, AND HAS HE BEEN SEEN BY ANY OF THE ELECTROPHYSIOLOGISTS TO LOOK FOR ANY UNDERLYING ARRHYTHMIC CAUSES A GENETIC CAUSES OF HIS EVENT AS WELL? THAT’S THE FIRST QUESTION. SECOND QUESTION IS DID HE UNDERGO A HYPOTHERMIA PROTOCOL? AND THIRD IS WE HAD HEARD HE WAS PRONE. IS THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS A QUESTION OF DOSE OR ASPIRATION AT SOME POINT? SO IN THE FIRST PART OF THE FIRST QUESTION, AGAIN, WE’RE NOT GOING TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF HIS TESTS IN DEFERENCE TO HIS PRIVACY AS FAR AS THOSE SPECIFIC DETAILS. AS TO THE SECOND ONE, YES, HE DID UNDERGO THE TARGETED TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL. HERE. YOU SEE. AND THEN THE THIRD QUESTION. YEAH. SO HE DID DEMONSTRATE EVIDENCE OF ERROR IN THIS OR ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME. AND THAT WAS THE ETIOLOGY OF THE BURNING. AND AS FAR AS BEING WORKED UP FOR ELECTRICAL ABNORMALITIES, I IMAGINE THE WHOLE CARDIOLOGY TEAM, INCLUDING AT EPI, IS SEEING HIM AS WELL. AGAIN, HIS WORKUP OF HIS CARDIAC IS ONGOING AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE ADDITIONAL TESTS IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE TWO MORE QUESTIONS AND THEN CLOSE. DR. SAMEER WOLFE WITH NFL NETWORK. I HEARD YOU MENTIONED RBC. CAN YOU ELABORATE FOR US LAYPEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THAT IS? AND MAYBE WHERE HE IS? AND RESPECT IS HIS LUNG CAPACITY OR OR ANY DAMAGE THERE? YEAH, THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. SO THAT’S AN ACUTE INFLAMMATOIRE OR A RESPONSE THAT OCCURS IN THE LUNGS AFTER A WIDE VARIETY OF EVENTS. AND IT CAUSES THE LUNGS NOT TO BE ABLE TO EXCHANGE GASES. AND YOU CAN’T BREATHE AS WELL AS NORMAL FROM FROM STANDPOINT OF LONG TERM ISSUES. THAT ALL REMAINS TO BE SEEN. YOU KNOW, HIS LUNG FUNCTION IS IMPROVING, AS WAS NOTED IN THE PRESS YESTERDAY. AND WE HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES TO IMPROVE. THANK YOU. AND BRIEF, BRIEF FOLLOW UP THERE. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED STILL IN CRITICAL CONDITION. IS THERE A PROCESS OF WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO TO UPGRADE TO STABLE CONDITION? YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE BEFORE WE UPGRADE HIM TO STABLE CONDITION WOULD BE BREATHING TUBE OUT AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE BOTH FROM A NEUROLOGIC AND A RESPIRATORY STANDPOINT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. LAST QUESTION, PLEASE. NOT ME. YEAH. CAN YOU HEAR ME? SORRY ABOUT THAT. APPRECIATE THE TIME. THIS REALLY QUICKLY. I WANTED TO ASK I KNOW THERE’S OBVIOUSLY SO MUCH GOING ON, BUT DEMAR’S TOY FUNDRAISER RAISING OVER $7 MILLION. I DIDN’T KNOW. I KNOW THERE’S A LOT. BUT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, KIND OF JUST THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT AND WHAT HIS CHARITY HAS BEEN ABLE TO RAISE IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TELL YOU THAT HIS PARENTS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO HIM THE ENTIRE TIME AND ARE AMAZING PARENTS. I CAN JUST TELL YOU, WE WISH EVERYBODY HAD PARENTS AS WONDERFUL AS HIS PARENTS ARE. AND THE BILLS COACHING STAFF OF ALL COMMUNICATED THE OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM CINCINNATI, FROM BUFFALO, FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE RELATED THAT THERE’S GOING TO BE LOT OF TOYS FOR HIM TO BUY WHEN HE RECOVERS FROM ALL THIS. AND WE’RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. BUT REALLY SUPPORT AND HIS PARENTS FEEL THE SUPPORT, THE TEAM FEELS THE SUPPORT AND EVERYBODY IN THE IN THE ICU AND IN THE MEDICAL CENTER FEELS SUPPORT. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. THIS IS CHRISTIAN WEAVERS AGAIN. AND AND DR. PRINCE AND DR. KNIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPENDING THIS ALMOST HOUR WITH THE MEDIA AND WITH EVERYONE WHO’S EXPRESSED SUCH INTEREST IN DEMAR’S CARE AND CONCERN. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE DEMAR HAMLET FAMILY AND THE BUFFALO BILLS FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE CARE TEAM AT U. C HEALTH HERE IN CINCINNATI. WE’RE HONORED TO HAVE HIM WITH US AND TO CARE FOR HIM AND THANK YOU TO THE FAMILY AND THE BUFFALO BILLS FOR INVITING DR. PRINCE, DR. KNIGHT TO PROVIDE A CURRENT UPDATE ON DEMAR’S MEDICAL CONDITION AND PROVIDE YOU ACCURATE INFORMATION. SO WE LEAVE IT UP TO THEM TO DETERMINE IF WE WILL DO THIS AGAIN. IT IS NOT OUR DECISION. SO WE ASK THE MEDIA TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND RESPECT THE DEMAR’S FAMILY’S CHOICES AROUND THIS SITUATION. SO THANK YOU AGAIN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST AND CONCERN. AND THANK YOU TO THE NATION WHO HAS PROVIDED SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF SINCERE GRATITUDE AND SUPPORT NOT ONLY FOR DEMAR, HIS FAMILY, THE BILLS, T

Damar Hamlin’s doctors: Minutes, seconds made the difference in response time

Updated: 3:26 PM EST Jan 5, 2023

The doctors treating Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin say the quick actions by personnel inside Paycor Stadium made the difference in life and death.Speaking with media for the first time Thursday afternoon, UC Medical Center doctors Timothy Pritts and William Knight IV say the CPR and defibrillator he received prior to arriving at the hospital is helping. "It just speaks really to the immediate recognition that there was something significantly and seriously wrong by the Bills medical staff. We can not credit their team enough. There are injuries occasionally that happen on sports fields but it is incredibly rare to have something be this serious and to be that quickly recognized," Knight said.The doctors said the Bills medical staff immediately marshaled the emergency action plan which prompted the airway physician the emergency physician to be out on the field in less than a minute.The doctors said Hamlin was given CPR and defibrillation on the field and then taken to UC Medical Center into the surgical intensive care unit. Doctors Pritts and Knight say the Bills' training staff recognized they had a significant event on their hands and put their emergency response team into action, leading to things going as well as they possibly could have."To have the support and resuscitation he had on the field has not been seen to my knowledge," Knight said, noting the rarity of the injury and immediate response on the field.If things took even a few extra minutes, the doctors agreed that it's fair to think there could have been a much different turnout. The doctors said they don't have definitive answers at this time in terms of the cause of his injury, but as tests continue, they will be able to have more answers.The press conference at UC Health came hours after the Bills said that Hamlin had made "remarkable improvement" in his health status, but noted he was still critically ill.

CINCINNATI —

The doctors treating Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin say the quick actions by personnel inside Paycor Stadium made the difference in life and death.

Speaking with media for the first time Thursday afternoon, UC Medical Center doctors Timothy Pritts and William Knight IV say the CPR and defibrillator he received prior to arriving at the hospital is helping.

"It just speaks really to the immediate recognition that there was something significantly and seriously wrong by the Bills medical staff. We can not credit their team enough. There are injuries occasionally that happen on sports fields but it is incredibly rare to have something be this serious and to be that quickly recognized," Knight said.

The doctors said the Bills medical staff immediately marshaled the emergency action plan which prompted the airway physician the emergency physician to be out on the field in less than a minute.

The doctors said Hamlin was given CPR and defibrillation on the field and then taken to UC Medical Center into the surgical intensive care unit.

Doctors Pritts and Knight say the Bills' training staff recognized they had a significant event on their hands and put their emergency response team into action, leading to things going as well as they possibly could have.

"To have the support and resuscitation he had on the field has not been seen to my knowledge," Knight said, noting the rarity of the injury and immediate response on the field.

If things took even a few extra minutes, the doctors agreed that it's fair to think there could have been a much different turnout.

The doctors said they don't have definitive answers at this time in terms of the cause of his injury, but as tests continue, they will be able to have more answers.

The press conference at UC Health came hours after the Bills said that Hamlin had made "remarkable improvement" in his health status, but noted he was still critically ill.