The Medical Equipment that Saved the Life of a Cádiz FC Fan
A short time ago, a situation that took place in a Spanish soccer stadium caught the attention of many people. A Cádiz FC fan had a cardiac arrest in the stands and a nurse who was on the scene saved his life.
In addition to this first instance of cardiorespiratory resuscitation, it was necessary to use specific health apparatus. Below, we’ll tell you more about all the tools that were used in the rescue protocol.
CPR: The first aid maneuver that saved the Cadiz fan
First of all, it should be noted that basic first aid was key to maintaining a pulse in the 68-year-old man who had a heart attack during the match between Cadiz FC and FC Barcelona.
CPR is a resuscitation technique that’s implemented when a person suffers a cardiorespiratory arrest or when his or her heart stops beating. For this purpose, cardiac compressions are used to preserve blood circulation in the body until medical help arrives. CPR techniques vary depending on the patient’s health status and age.
The role of the defibrillator in a heart attack
If a defibrillator is used in the minutes following a heart attack, the patient’s chance of survival is greatly increased. This is what happened in the case of the Cadiz fan.
A defibrillator monitor was available in the stadium and quickly reached the hands of a health assistant; fortunately, the device was close to the affected person. In addition, the image of Conan Ledesma, goalkeeper of the home team, approaching another device that FC Barcelona provided in case it was needed became very famous.
The defibrillator has the function of reactivating a person’s heartbeat by means of an electric shock. Its use, although simple, should be applied only in certain circumstances, and that’s why this type of element must be handled by professional health personnel.
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Airway and circulatory access backpacks
An airway backpack is a backpack for storing and transporting all the equipment that may be needed in the event of a cardiac or respiratory emergency. These are instruments and drugs particular to specific medical equipment for emergency and pre-hospital care.
Specifically, we’re talking about masks and oxygen tubes, for example. Also included in these backpacks are medications that could be useful to give to people in an emergency in a public place before taking them to a health center.
Material for peripheral venous access
Sergio Salgado, one of the nurses of service 601 who went to the stadium in the emergency of the Cádiz fan, said that there was no material for peripheral venous access. What was he referring to?
Venous accesses are those procedures with which a vein communicates with the outside. They are a way to perform advanced life support. In cases such as a heart attack, venous access can be used to deliver medication through it.
The person assisted in the stands of the Cádiz stadium was sedated with drugs “for technical and clinical reasons,” said Salgado. However, this was done with the material that the emergency professionals who arrived at the stadium brought with them, not with the material present there.
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A stretcher, ambulance, and other tools
Finally, the action of the aforementioned tools was complemented by other elements, such as a COVID patient kit (although this was not the case) and a tablet PC to monitor the patient’s clinical picture in detail.
In addition, to facilitate the transfer to the hospital, a stretcher was needed, which a player and an assistant transported from the field. The participation of the ambulance was key; this vehicle has the necessary equipment to maintain stability until the patient reaches a medical facility.
Prevention can save lives like that of the Cádiz fan
Although what happened in the stands of the Cádiz stadium was not without controversy regarding the handling of the situation by those involved, it does highlight the importance of knowing how to act in an emergency of this type.
The Cádiz FC fan was able to survive the cardiac arrest thanks to the intervention of the nurse who performed CPR on him at the scene and also thanks to the subsequent arrival of emergency personnel. According to his account, they provided the necessary health material to stabilize him.
In conclusion, two indispensable aspects stand out. On the one hand, knowledge of CPR techniques is essential to save a life at any moment. And on the other hand, the prevention of having basic health equipment is something that no institution should overlook.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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- Cuesta, J. A., & Pérez, L. T. (2006). Toma de decisiones a pie de campo en fútbol. Opinión de los médicos de equipos profesionales ante siete casos problema. Apunts. Medicina de l’Esport, 41(152), 145-150.
