Posted on 02/12/2020 8:37:09 AM PST by BenLurkin
Bouwmeester appeared to be grabbing a drink of water when he began to slowly fall. Emergency medical personnel rushed to the Blues bench. Bouwmeester was skating in his 57th game this season and the 1,241st of his NHL career. He skated 1:20 in his last shift before collapsing and logged 5:34 of ice time in the game. St. Louis’ radio announcer Chris Kerber said during an interview with the team’s flagship station that a defibrillator was used.
Bouwmeester’s father was at the game as part of the team’s annual Dads Trip. He went with his son to the hospital while teammates and their fathers remained at the arena awaiting updates.
Ducks and Blues players gathered to see what was wrong before Bouwmeester was taken away. The teams then went to their dressing rooms, and the game was called off a few minutes later tied at 1.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
From Wiki about a different NHL player who had a similar episode in 2005:
During a game on November 21, 2005, against the Nashville Predators, Fischer collapsed on the bench after going into cardiac arrest. After being unconscious for six minutes, Fischer was resuscitated by CPR and by an automated external defibrillator by Dr. Tony Colucci,[1] and was taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital.[1] The game was postponed due to Fischer’s injury, and was made up on January 23, 2006. This marked the first time in NHL history a game had been postponed due to injury. The makeup game was played for the full 60 minutes, though the Predators were allowed to maintain their 1-0 lead from the original game. Nashville ultimately won by a score of 3-2.
Fischer was released from the hospital on November 23, 2005. Although the exact cause of Fischer’s collapse remained unknown, team physician Tony Colucci indicated that Fischer’s heart may have experienced either ventricular tachycardia, a type of racing heartbeat, or ventricular fibrillation, a disorganized cardiac rhythm.[2] Doctors ordered Fischer to avoid all physical activity for four to six weeks, and no prognosis was made on whether he would be able to continue his ice hockey career. Fischer continued to suffer heart trouble after the in-game incident. On November 28, Fischer suffered a “brief, abnormal cardiac rhythm”, while at his home in Detroit. He was released from the hospital two days later.
Fischer’s future as a hockey player remained in question over a year after his collapse. By the time his contract expired at the end of the 2006-07 season, it was obvious he would never be medically cleared to play again, and he was forced to retire. General manager Ken Holland wanted to keep Fischer in the organization, and offered him a job as director of player development. Fischer had long liked working with young players and accepted.[
From another article:
Veteran Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester was conscious and alert in an Orange, Calif., hospital after suffering a cardiac episode and collapsing as he sat on the bench during the first period of the team’s game with the Anaheiim Ducks on Tuesday night.
Atrial fibrillation and atrial tachycardia (vibration) is an inconvenience and often, is mildly debilitating.
On the other hand, VENTRICULAR fibrillation or tachycardia is very often fatal. Prayers for Bouwmeester and his family and friends. Hope he has the minor kind.
On the other hand, VENTRICULAR fibrillation or tachycardia is very often fatal.
...
True, but a defibrillator can be lifesaving for ventricular fibrillation, especially if it’s due to an electrical problem rather than a blockage.
That is a reeally long shift. Dehydration and electrolytes could be a problem after that.
Yes, prayers for his recovery.
He was fortunate to have been playing in an NHL arena with the best medical care onsite.
A few years ago something similar happened during a game in Russia’s KHL league. That young man, a highly touted prospect, actually died because the had to wait 20+ minutes for an ambulance to arrive.
If he passed out and collapsed and needed to be zapped to get his heart started again, that wasn’t atrial fib.
I agree, this was not the benign sort of a-fib.
Something similar also happened to Rich Peverley of Dallas in 2014.
I know someone who has v-fib. He arrested the first time while he happened to be in a hospital, one floor above the emergency room. He got immediate CPR and the ER cardiologist was there in minutes. It took three tries and it got the heart going again. Very lucky guy. He now has a built in defibrillator.
Looks like that was a case of A-fib, which isn’t serious once it’s corrected, which it was.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/stars/2014/03/19/rich-peverley-heart-surgery/6620415/
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