Before Saturday’s match of the European Championship Denmark – Finland (0: 1) he was in charge of training local rescuers, including the provision of first aid. The man, who was probably the most professional man in the stadium, got into the auditorium by accident.
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“When Eriksen’s heart failed, I was sitting on the opposite side of the field. At first it didn’t look bad, but then I realized that it wasn’t a common injury, “said the German doctor.
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Kleinfeld signaled to rescuers at Copenhagen Stadium the moment he saw footballers hiding their faces in their hands.
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“We grabbed a defibrillator and told my colleagues we had to go to the field,” he described the dramatic events. Paramedics then charged the defibrillator, attached electrodes to Eriksen’s body, gave the football player electric shocks, and began a heart massage.
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It was the training of rescuers that turned out to be key. According to Kleinfeld, the medics of the Danish team had problems at first.
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The chance of rescue decreases by 10 percent every minute
“I don’t think they initially estimated the gravity of the situation. You must start resuscitation immediately, but team physicians are usually used to dealing with other injuries. That’s why it was harder for them to quickly detect cardiac arrest, “the doctor added.
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He came to this view when the team doctors saw him trying to pull Eriksen’s sunken tongue. “It simply came to our notice then. A slight tilt of the head is quite sufficient, “said Kleinfeld.
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Yes I’m here. Shit, I was only 29 now.
Christian Eriksen’s first words after he experienced clinical death
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It is important to use the defibrillator quickly. The doctor said that if defibrillation starts within two minutes, the chance of survival is almost 90 percent.
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With each passing minute, it then decreases by about ten percent. “It took about two or three minutes to get electric shocks, so his chances of survival were high,” Kleinfeld explained.
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He described the subsequent moments as charming. “Eriksen woke up, and when I asked him in English if he was with us, he replied: Yes, I’m here. He then added: Shit, I was only 29 now (celebrated his birthday in February – editor’s note).”
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“I told him that now everything was fine and not life-threatening. He understood everything and put his hands on his chest, “the doctor continued.
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Kleinfeld then added that this was an exemplary resuscitation. The Danish footballer is still in Copenhagen hospital. After a series of examinations, he will undergo surgery, after which he will receive an implantable cardioveter – defibrillator.
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Its future on lawns is uncertain. For example, Daley Blind, who represents the Netherlands at the ongoing European Championships, is playing with similar equipment.
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Danish footballer Christian Eriksen warming up before the match with Finland.
Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand, Reuters
