Ayrton Senna

[bigjl]

Had another look.

And Prof Sid is clearly quoted as saying.

"We got him out the cockpit, got his helmet off and got an airway into him...."

If you look carefully in the Senna documentary you can clearly see he has a Cervical collar is in place.

You can't put on a cervical collar with any form of helmet on.

Hope that clears it up for you.

 

[Garak]

I, unfortunately, have not seen the documentary, but there are a lot of conflicting stories out there. I've read accounts in magazines over the years that match either version of events. Some versions make it sound as if it were impossible for them to have been able to remove the helmet, while others talk about it being removed.

 

[bigjl]

Prof Sid Watkins says he took it off.

You can see a cervical collar clearly in the documentary.

Cervical collar can't be fitted with helmet in place.

Helmet off is the first stage in trauma care.

Airway takes priority over any injury or risk of paralysis.

Basic premis of pre hospital trauma care is life takes precidence over limb.

Ayrton would have been RSi'd on scene and sedated.

This was standard procedure in the early HEMs helicopter in London, which is why it was the first Air Ambulance to carry a Dr and take on the HEMs name, Helicopter Emergency Medicine Service as apposed to the traditional Air Ambulance with a couple of Paramedics on board.

I have reviewed the documentary footage and the only clear image is when Ayrtons chest is exposed and the collar is clearly seen, at roughly the same time you can see the vacuum stretcher being unravelled, this forms a stable imobilisation of the patient and is gold standard trauma care, have only used it twice when doing a fall from height with the HEMs team, it is like a large vacuum splint.

I can only suggest that anybody in doubt reviews the footage.

And listens to the comments of Prof Sid Watkins, one of the most senior and experienced Drs in this field.

Removing the helmet is not optional, you have no control of C spine or airway and are unable to access the extent of a head injury.

Basic of emergency medicine, primary and secondary survey. Expose and examine.

I would take Prof Watkins statement over anything in the press. There is no situation where a helmet is impossible to remove.

Anybody that says otherwise is mistaken.

Would i believe anything written by a non expert in the field over one of the senior Drs on scene?

No, i wouldn't.

 

[Garak]

I'm certainly not disputing that your version of events is the correct one. It just happens that there is more than one version floating about, and they are conflicting and confusing. To make matters worse, some of them get conflated in one article, with the story conflicting itself, let alone other accounts. I should check through my automotive magazines. I remember reading one account (within the last five years) that simply made no sense, thanks to it contradicting itself.

Considering the various versions that have made their way into print over the years, the misconceptions will never be cleared up among the general public.

 

[bigjl]

There was certainly a lot of people trying to say a weld broke on the steering column.

It is possible that he simply skated off after perhaps grounding out?

It was a tragic weekend either way and could have been worse if Rubens had been injured or worse in his crash.

But with the professional reputation of a Dr of the stature to be brought into doubt with incorrect statements made on internet forums.

Lets not forget that Prof Watkins was responsible for the improvements to F1 safety that have meant no fatalities since then.

Prof Watkins in also now sadly deceased. Perhaps he and Ayrton have finally gone fishing.

I have reviewed the documentary footage which is indeed not the best. But i am happy the helmet is off.

An earlier poster mentioned he had never seen somebody so badly injured they left the helmet on.

Well the only time you would leavs the helmet on is if they are uninjured and walk away from you and take it off yourself.

Expose and examine. The first lesson learned in pre hospital trauma care.

One of the top Drs in this field surrounded by other top Drs would not make this mistake.

If you want to discuss lack of competence discuss the "Medics" that picked up Marco Simmoncelli without any immobilisation and then let him fall off the stretcher.

Not that it would have made any differencs to Marco. But they were incompetent or rather undertrained.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: bigjl
But with the professional reputation of a Dr of the stature to be brought into doubt with incorrect statements made on internet forums.

The unfortunate thing is, though, that so much of this misinformation predated the common use of the internet. With so many articles (even in print) using inaccurate sources and even shoddy editing, it doesn't help. All other writers do is reference the inaccurate stories, and the situation snowballs.