If you are a NCAA basketball fan you will have already heard about this primary topic. Last night, Rick Patino's Louisville Cardinals was taking on the Duke Blue Devils coached by Coach K. This midwestern regional final was a highly rated game as the only number 1 / 2 game left in this years March Madness.
Now I know you are asking what does this have to do with EMS? Just wait a second and I will get there, as I mentioned if you like NCAA Basketball you will know what I am talking about. This is where we get into the connection. In the first half, Kevin Ware, a valuable teammate of the Louisville Cardinals came down in an akward angle following an attempt at a blocked shot only to fall quickly with a massive reaction from his teammates and coach. Even though the game continued, the refs quickly brought it to a halt as all those that witnessed the events were overtaken by grief in this instance. CBS news initially stated that it appeared to them as those Kevin Ware dislocated something which is not uncommon in college sporting events, but they were tragically incorrect. Kevin Ware was not getting up, and for good reason. As he came down, the sold-out crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium witnessed what has only been described as gruesome.
An open fracture involving the tibia and fibula was the result of the odd angled descent of the Cardinal. Kevin Ware went from being the star to the patient. Kevin Ware was giving his all to take his team to the Final Four when he suffered the season ending injury. This is when the star of the show changed from the basketball stars to medical personnel.
Now, I continue to watch for status updates regarding the stellar athlete as the injury was certainly very significant, but I do want to look at medical operations following this injury. Would you be ready to take center stage if you were on site with such a significant situation. College basketball atheletes are primed to play in front of massive crowds and have been training to do so for many years. They are ready to take center stage when the games on the line. They are ready to be the one on national TV taking the three point shot as the buzzer goes off winning the game allowing your team to take home the coveted National Championship. For medical situations, this situation would have the similar ramifications. Now the medical crew for this call included multiple physicians and athletic trainers, but at any point in time we can include personnel from EMS agencies across the country.
As we continue to devlop our personnel capabilities and look for ways to improve our response systems, we must look at high stress situations and discuss how we are going to handle situations. If you were in Lucas Oil Stadium, what would they be saying about your response?
Get well Kevin Ware!
Take Care and Stay Safe!
The Combomedic
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