Schumacher improving but 'not out of danger': doctors
2013-12-31 11:59:41.138 GMT
Dec. 31 (AFP) -- Formula One legend Michael Schumacher
Tuesday showed a slight improvement after a second operation
following his life-threatening ski accident but was "not out of
danger," doctors treating him said.
Surgeons said they had "gained some time" by performing a
successful second procedure on the seven times world champion
on Monday night but he still remained critical.
His wife and two children are at the hospital in the
French Alpine city of Grenoble where the former racing driver
remains in a coma after he fell and slammed his head on a rock
while skiing off-piste on Sunday.
News of the accident stunned the world and racing stars
joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel and legions of fans in
expressing their hopes for his recovery.
Schumacher underwent an operation soon after being
helicoptered to the hospital on Sunday, and surgeons performed
the second nearly two-hour-long procedure to remove a blood
clot on the right side of the brain.
Jean-Francois Payen, head of the intensive care unit,
warned reporters during a press conference on Tuesday morning
that Schumacher was not out of the woods.
"We cannot speculate on the future," he said. "We cannot
say he is out of danger but we have gained some time."
He said scans showed that the removal of the clot had been
done in a "satisfactory manner", but ruled out Schumacher's
transfer from the hospital as it could be "dangerous."
Emmanuel Gay, head of the neurosurgery department, said he
was "surprised" by the improvement in Schumacher's condition.
Doctors have said that Schumacher, who is due to turn 45
on January 3, has age and physical fitness on his side.
He had been put in a medically induced coma to spur
recovery. His temperature has also been reduced to around 35
degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) to reduce swelling.
By being unconscious, the brain is also switched off to
sounds, light and other triggers that cause the organ to use up
oxygen as it processes the stimuli.
A source close to the investigation into the off-piste
accident at the upmarket ski resort of Meribel told AFP that
Schumacher's helmet, which medics say saved his life, was
smashed "in two" by the impact.
The German newspaper Bild also quoted a rescuer as saying
the split helmet was "full of blood".
Schumacher's family in a statement expressed their thanks
to the doctors who they said were doing "everything possible to
help Michael" and to well-wishers around the world.
News of the accident stunned the world and racing stars
joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel and legions of fans in
expressing their hopes for his recovery.
Damon Hill, who fought several memorable on-track battles
with Schumacher, said he was "praying" for his former rival.
Merkel was "extremely shocked" by the incident, her
spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters.
Formula One quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, 26,
who has said Schumacher was his childhood idol, said: "I am
shocked and I hope that he'll be feeling better as soon as
possible.
Schumacher, who won the last of his world titles in 2004,
towered over the sport since his debut in 1991, winning more
Formula One world titles and races than any other. He had a
record 91 wins and is one of only two men to reach 300 grands
prix.
His duels in his heyday with Hill and Jacques Villeneuve,
fired by an unquenchable competitive spirit, have gone down in
Formula One lore.
Schumacher was born in January 1969 near Cologne, Germany,
the son of a bricklayer who also ran the local go-kart track,
where his mother worked in the canteen.
By 1987, Schumacher was the German and European go-kart
champion and was soon racing professionally. In 1991 he burst
into Formula One by qualifying seventh in his debut race in
Belgium and a year later, he won his first Formula One grand
prix.
He joined Ferrari in 1996 and went from strength to
strength over the next decade, dominating the podium, before
retiring aged 37.
But the father of two could not resist the lure of the
track and in 2010 he came out of retirement, signing a deal
with Mercedes before quitting for good in 2012.
bur/ach/mbx/dh
-0- Dec/31/2013 11:59 GMT
2013-12-31 11:59:41.138 GMT
Dec. 31 (AFP) -- Formula One legend Michael Schumacher
Tuesday showed a slight improvement after a second operation
following his life-threatening ski accident but was "not out of
danger," doctors treating him said.
Surgeons said they had "gained some time" by performing a
successful second procedure on the seven times world champion
on Monday night but he still remained critical.
His wife and two children are at the hospital in the
French Alpine city of Grenoble where the former racing driver
remains in a coma after he fell and slammed his head on a rock
while skiing off-piste on Sunday.
News of the accident stunned the world and racing stars
joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel and legions of fans in
expressing their hopes for his recovery.
Schumacher underwent an operation soon after being
helicoptered to the hospital on Sunday, and surgeons performed
the second nearly two-hour-long procedure to remove a blood
clot on the right side of the brain.
Jean-Francois Payen, head of the intensive care unit,
warned reporters during a press conference on Tuesday morning
that Schumacher was not out of the woods.
"We cannot speculate on the future," he said. "We cannot
say he is out of danger but we have gained some time."
He said scans showed that the removal of the clot had been
done in a "satisfactory manner", but ruled out Schumacher's
transfer from the hospital as it could be "dangerous."
Emmanuel Gay, head of the neurosurgery department, said he
was "surprised" by the improvement in Schumacher's condition.
Doctors have said that Schumacher, who is due to turn 45
on January 3, has age and physical fitness on his side.
He had been put in a medically induced coma to spur
recovery. His temperature has also been reduced to around 35
degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) to reduce swelling.
By being unconscious, the brain is also switched off to
sounds, light and other triggers that cause the organ to use up
oxygen as it processes the stimuli.
A source close to the investigation into the off-piste
accident at the upmarket ski resort of Meribel told AFP that
Schumacher's helmet, which medics say saved his life, was
smashed "in two" by the impact.
The German newspaper Bild also quoted a rescuer as saying
the split helmet was "full of blood".
Schumacher's family in a statement expressed their thanks
to the doctors who they said were doing "everything possible to
help Michael" and to well-wishers around the world.
News of the accident stunned the world and racing stars
joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel and legions of fans in
expressing their hopes for his recovery.
Damon Hill, who fought several memorable on-track battles
with Schumacher, said he was "praying" for his former rival.
Merkel was "extremely shocked" by the incident, her
spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters.
Formula One quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel, 26,
who has said Schumacher was his childhood idol, said: "I am
shocked and I hope that he'll be feeling better as soon as
possible.
Schumacher, who won the last of his world titles in 2004,
towered over the sport since his debut in 1991, winning more
Formula One world titles and races than any other. He had a
record 91 wins and is one of only two men to reach 300 grands
prix.
His duels in his heyday with Hill and Jacques Villeneuve,
fired by an unquenchable competitive spirit, have gone down in
Formula One lore.
Schumacher was born in January 1969 near Cologne, Germany,
the son of a bricklayer who also ran the local go-kart track,
where his mother worked in the canteen.
By 1987, Schumacher was the German and European go-kart
champion and was soon racing professionally. In 1991 he burst
into Formula One by qualifying seventh in his debut race in
Belgium and a year later, he won his first Formula One grand
prix.
He joined Ferrari in 1996 and went from strength to
strength over the next decade, dominating the podium, before
retiring aged 37.
But the father of two could not resist the lure of the
track and in 2010 he came out of retirement, signing a deal
with Mercedes before quitting for good in 2012.
bur/ach/mbx/dh
-0- Dec/31/2013 11:59 GMT