Bills’ Damar Hamlin was resuscitated twice, says his uncle ventilator use has gone down

The entire country joined the NFL awaiting rare updates Tuesday on the safety status of critically injured Bills Damar Hamlin.

About 16 hours after suffering cardiac arrest when he collapsed on the pitch after making a tackle and momentarily standing up, Hamlin remained in critical condition in the intensive care unit at the University Medical Center. University of Cincinnati, according to a statement from the Bills. . Fans of both teams gathered outside the hospital overnight, and Buffalo fans held a prayer vigil outside the Bills’ stadium.

Dorrian Glenn, Hamlin’s uncle, told a CNN reporter at the scene Tuesday night that Hamlin was resuscitated twice — once in the field and once in hospital. He also said Hamlin had lung damage, but called it a “good sign” that Hamlin is breathing using only 50% of a ventilator, compared to 100% on Monday, according to a Syracuse.com report.

“He’s fighting,” Jordon Rooney, Hamlin’s friend and marketing rep, said during an appearance on “Good Morning America.” “He’s a fighter.”

Hamlin was given on-the-spot CPR by medical professionals that was able to restart his heartbeat in a life-and-death scenario. Rooney said Hamlin was “awake” before he was “sedated” to put a breathing tube down his throat in hospital.

Hamlin, 24, could have been a split second away from advancing to the next game after knocking down Bengals receiver Tee Higgins, according to independent medical experts across the country.

There was no next game, however, as the game was suspended with horrified players in shock and tears, and it will not resume this week, the NFL said. It’s unclear if any of this weekend’s games will be played with thousands of players and coaches united in prayer for Hamlin and not focused on competition. Higgins wrote to Hamlin on Twitter, “I pray you get through this bro. Love.”

Board-certified cardiologist Dr. Marc Cohen — who is not involved in Hamlin’s care — told the Post that there is a vulnerable period in every one-minute cardiac cycle that only lasts milliseconds, when the heart is most likely to degenerate from sudden physical impact.

Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football against the Bengals. Follow live coverage of the New York Post for updates on his condition’s injuries.

“That hit had to happen at a certain time that was only five milliseconds long,” said Cohen, chairman of the department of medicine at Newark-Beth Israel Medical Center. “If that hit happened a millisecond after or before, it may not have happened.”

A common medical explanation for the scene, unlike any other ever broadcast nationally in an NFL game, is commotio cordis, but this is considered more of an instantaneous reaction that struggles to explain how Hamlin got up immediately after the hit before collapsing.

“There is a point in the cycle of the heart where we are at risk. If we tap the heart, we can cause ventricular fibrillation,” Cohen said. “More likely than not, what happened was that he stood up and his pace became chaotic. It may have taken a few seconds to happen.

Ventricular fibrillation could also be caused by the head banging back and forth, as Cohen noticed while watching replays of what looked like a routine collision (by NFL standards).

“When your head is ping-ponging, it’s very possible that an enormous amount of adrenaline will be released,” Cohen said, “and the adrenaline would trigger the heart into a chaotic rhythm.”

A third possibility that presented itself to Cohen is similar to what was commonly seen in car accident victims who hit the steering wheel before the popularization of seatbelts and airbags.

“You would tear your aorta at a certain point in your chest, where the rest of you go, but your aorta is blocked by ligaments,” Cohen said. “It would cause a catastrophic tear.”

In all three possibilities, defibrillation on the ground could have revived Hamlin’s heartbeat, but the unknown is whether the heart is pumping enough blood to the rest of the body, including the respiratory center of the brain.

All 32 NFL teams and the official NFL account changed their Twitter avatars to an image with Hamlin’s No. 3 jersey and the words “Pray for Damar.” Video boards at the Great American Ballpark — home of MLB’s Cincinnati Reds — showed Hamlin’s photo with “Prayers for Damar Hamlin.” The Buffalo Sabers arrived at their arena for a game wearing white t-shirts that read “Love for 3.”

Over $5 million has been raised on a GoFundMe page to support a community toy drive for Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation. About $2,900 was raised before the injury.

“We want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support extended to Damar during this difficult time,” read a statement attributed to Hamlin’s family. “We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words and donations from fans across the country. … Your generosity and compassion mean the world to us.

Bengals owner Mike Brown called it an “unprecedented moment” in a statement offering continued thoughts for Hamlin.

Monday “was meant to be a great night for the NFL and a great showcase for our hometown,” the statement said. “Instead, the human side of our sport became paramount…and then humanity and love came to the fore.

“While the medical staff took extraordinary measures, both teams showed respect and compassion as the fans in the stadium and people across the country reinforced support for Damar and the love one for the other.”

The Hamlin family also thanked first responders and medical professionals. Cohen credited on-the-ground medical care for taking potentially life-saving measures and said it should be a ‘wake-up call’ to ensure safety equipment is readily available in all cities to encourage CPR citizents.