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Schumacher 'in critical condition' after hitting head on rock during skiing accident in French Alps
- Schumacher is fighting for his life in a coma after operation on brain
- The 44-year-old fell in Meribel in the French Alps after skiing off-piste with his 14-year-old son
- Schumacher was wearing helmet and hit his head on a rock
- The driver's wife and his two children are at his bedside
- The German was airlifted to hospital in Grenoble, he regained consciousness but his condition quickly worsened
- Schumacher, who retired from sport in 2012, won seven world titles with Benetton and Ferrari
Michael Schumacher continues to fight for his life after suffering lesions on his brain in an horrific skiing accident.
Doctors who treated the seven-time world champion admitted it was too early to say what would be the outcome of the emergency surgery undergone by Schumacher but conceded the former Formula One driver would ‘not be here’ had he not been wearing a crash helmet.
Schumacher suffered the life-threatening injuries after hitting his head on a rock while skiing off-piste in Meribel in the French Alps on Sunday morning.
Accident: Michael Schumacher, pictured in 2005, has suffered an accident while skiing
On the slopes: The Formula One legend - pictured in 2005 - is fighting for his life after hitting his head
Injured: Michael Schumacher was taken to hospital after suffering a head injury in a skiing accident
High dependency: Schumacher is in hospital in Grenoble after being transported from the piste
On top of the world: Schumacher is hoisted aloft by mechanics after winning the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix
Unstoppable: Scumacher won world titles in 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001 (above), 2003, 2004 and 2005
In the spotlight: Deputy director Jean Marc Grenier talks to media outside the CHU Nord hospital in Grenoble
Statement: Professor Jean-Francois Payen and assistant director Marc Penaud updated the press
SCHUMACHER BY NUMBERS
World championships: 7 (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Race wins: 91
Seasons in F1: 19
Points scored: 1,560
Points finishes: 220
Podiums: 155
After being airlifted by helicopter to
a local hospital, Schumacher was quickly transferred to a larger
facilty in Grenoble where he fell into a coma before undergoing
emergency surgery on his brain.
Speaking
at press conference this morning, a spokesperson for the hospital in
South West France said: ‘Michael Schumacher was the victim of very
serious trauma. He was very agitated when he arrived and we decided he
was in a critical situation and he quickly went into a coma.
‘The
neurosurgical treatment he received brought us quite a lot of
information. We had to operate urgently to release some pressure in his
head. Unfortunately, he has some lesions within his brain.’
Chief
anaesthesiologist professor Jean-Francois Payen added: ‘We can say he
is fighting for his life. We think his helmet did help, without a helmet
he wouldn't be here now. We judge him to be in a very serious
situation. We cannot tell what the outcome will be yet. We are working
hour-by-hour but it's too early to say what is going to happen and to
have a prognosis.’
Professor
Payen continued: ‘I'd say this accident happened in the right place
because he was taken into hospital immediately and operated on as soon
as he arrived, this meant his state is critical and he is still in a
coma and he will be kept in a coma.
‘Everything
that needed to be done has been done at the moment we can't really say
when he will recover, we cannot answer this yet.
The greatest? Schumacher sits on his Ferrari after spinning off the track at Jerez during a training session in 2003
Way back when: Schumacher celebrates victory in Hungary on his way to his maiden title in 1994
Make mine a double: Schumacher pictured after victory in Suzuka in 1995 to claim his second world title
By his bedside: Schumacher's wife Corrina is in Grenoble. The couple married in 1995 and have two children
Serial winner: Schumacher wins 2004's British GP in typically exuberant style
Champagne moment: Schumacher sprays the bubbly at Silverstone after pipping Kimi Raikkonen to victory
WORLD OF F1 REACTS
Former Benetton team-mate Martin Brundle @MBrundleF1
Come on Michael, give us one of those race stints at pure qualifying pace to win through, like you used to. You can do it.
Former Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa
'I'm praying for God to protect you, brother!'
'I hope you have a quick recovery! God bless you, Michael!'
Jenson Button @JensonButton
My thoughts are with Michael Schumacher at this tough time.. Michael more than anyone has the strength to pull through this.
Romain Grosjean @RGrosjean
All our thoughts to Schumi and his family ! Hope you will recover soon. #legend #Schumi
Jean-Eric Vergne @JeanEricVergne
Wishing all the best to Michael, hope everything will be good..!
Heikki Kovalainen @H_Kovalainen
I heard Schumacher had a skiing accident, I hope it's not too serious and he makes a full recovery soon! #legend
Jules_Bianchi @Jules_Bianchi
Best wishes to M.Schumacher.. I hope he is ok !!!! #strongman
Damon Hill
'We are all praying for Michael’s speedy and full recovery and out thoughts are with Corinna and the children.'
He is in an artificial coma and is
undergoing some treatment which is limiting the damage to his brain. We
are trying to release pressure in his head. We judge him to be in a very
serious condition.’
Schumacher’s
wife Corinna, son Mick, with whom he was skiing when he suffered the
accident, and daughter Gina-Marie are by his bedside,
Professor
Payen added: ‘We are in constant contact with his family that are by
his bedside. At this moment we don't see he is going to need a second
operation.’
According to reports, Ross Brawn, who worked with Schumacher at Benetton, Ferrari and Mercedes, is also on route to Grenoble.
Former
Ferrari team boss and current FIA president Jean Todt is also
understood to have travelled to the hospital as has Professor Gerard
Saillant, a brain and spine injury expert who is also president of
safety body the FIA institute.
Professor Saillant oversaw Schumacher's recovery after he broke his leg in the 1999 British Grand Prix.
Earlier a leading brain surgeon was seen arriving at the hospital in Grenoble, France, where he was being treated.
Eyewitnesses said Schumacher lost consciousness briefly after falling and hitting his head on a rock.
They saw blood oozing from his helmet in the eight minutes between the fall and medics arriving in a helicopter to pick him up.
The Schumacher family released a statement on Monday morning, saying: 'We would like to thank the medical team who we know do everything possible to help Michael.
'We like to also thank the people from all around the world who have expressed their sympathy and sent their best wishes for Michael's recovery.
'We would like to ask the media to respect the privacy of us and our friends and thank them for their support. Thank you.'
Dr Gary Hartstein, who was F1’s medical delegate from 2005 to 2012 and knows Schumacher well, said: ‘The possibilities run everywhere from sequel free survival right down to the worst thing we can imagine.
'It sounds very dramatic but in reality there are a couple of levels of induced coma. Since Michael’s brain needs rest, since it needs to be guaranteed a perfect physiological situation - and that means the patient needs to be calm and not agitated, plus the fact that the patient has a tube in his windpipe – he needs to be put to sleep. It’s basically like a prolonged anaesthetic.
Report: Jean Marc Grenier talks to media outside the hospital where Michael Schumacher is being treated
Emergency: A Schumacher fan waits to hear news on the seven-time world champion's condition
Keen skier: Schumacher skiing in January 2005 at the Italian resort of Madonna di Campiglio
Heir apparent: Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, who has won four-stright world titles, share a moment at a kart club in Germany in 2001
The end of an era: Ferrari say farewell to Schumacher in 2006 before his first retirement from F1
When it is suggested to Hartstein
that Schumacher is a risk taker but also someone whose fitness should
aid his recovery, he said: ‘His fitness can only help. But look, Formula
One is very adrenalized sport but Michael Schumacher is not what a
would call a huge risk taker. He’s not someone who would just do
anything.
'Michael has never got into a rally car. He always said he would never do that.
‘But
you’re right, skiing, especially off-piste powder skiing, can be a bit
dangerous. But Michael would not have taken any risk without first
considering things.’
Olivier Desaulty, a spokesman for Meribel Alpina, a ski lift company, said: ‘Some skiers saw the accident and called us.
‘We
immediately sent two ski patrols who were close by. They checked him
and called a helicopter. Apparently he was briefly – a minute or so –
unconscious. But he came around quickly and was then talking.
‘He
said he had hit his head on a rock. He was wearing a helmet
fortunately. The helicopter arrived very quickly and he was taken to
hospital.’
Hospital: Schumacher is being treated at hospital in the south-eastern French city of Grenbole
Scene: Schumacher was skiing off-piste in the French Alps resort of Meribel
Picture perfect: Schumacher poses with his wife Corinna in Madonna di Campiglio in 2004
Mean streets: Schumacher patrols the Monaco track ahead of the 2006 race
Eastern promise: Schumacher and the Ferrari team hail victory in China
THE DOCTORS' VERDICT
A leading neurosurgery specialist has described Michael Schumacher's condition as 'very dangerous', warning that his injuries may take several days to 'reach their peak'.
Christopher Chandler, of the London Neurosurgery Partnership, said the haematoma and bruising the seven-time Formula One world champion suffered could cause 'ferocious swelling'.
'An intra-cranial haematoma is a blood clot, which causes swelling and pressure on the brain,' he said.
'The scenario may be that he had a blood clot in his brain that required immediate removal, which would explain the surgery.
'By bilateral lesions, I suspect they mean contusions or bruising to the brain. That bruising of the brain, which you can see on a scan, causes ferocious swelling and that is really serious.
'(Cerebral) contusions are often the most significant injury. Once you remove the clot, the swelling carries on and bruising precipitates and propagates that swelling.
'If you have a brain injury with sufficient severity to cause a coma, that indicates a very serious situation. The longer a patient is in a coma, the less likely they are to make a full recovery.
'You can't say that they won't recover, and you can't say they won't be brain-damaged, but an injury such as bilateral bruising, which means on both sides of the brain, is very serious, and can be very dangerous.'
The consultant continued: 'Brain swelling takes a number of days to reach its peak. The brain has a rigid unyielding box around it - the skull - which allows no room for growth, making swelling very, very dangerous.
'And once that injury occurs it's a vicious circle where a little bit of swelling causes more pressure, which causes more swelling, more pressure, and it starts to accelerate and affect vital parts of the brain.
'When that happens, you are in really deep trouble, but this man received probably the best possible care that you could imagine in the circumstances.
'He had the brain injury and within minutes a team of medics were there and they airlifted him to hospital. Within half an hour he was assessed and being flown to the neurological unit in Grenoble.'
A spokesman for mountain rescue said: ‘He fell and hit his head at 11.07am. A helicopter was at the site at 11.15am.
‘A
doctor specialising in emergencies was on board and treated him
immediately. He was in shock. He was then airlifted to the hospital in
Moûtiers.
‘He arrived
at 11.53am and underwent tests but the accident was considered serious
enough for him to be transferred to the larger hospital in Grenoble at
12.45pm. It was a relatively serious trauma to the head. It was quite
serious, particularly because it is a head injury.’
Gerard
Saillant, one of the leading neurologists in Paris and a friend of
Schumacher, arrived at the hospital, the CHU de Grenoble, accompanied by
police.
Professor
Saillant is an expert in brain and spinal injuries and oversaw
Schumacher’s medical care when he broke his leg in the 1999 British
Grand Prix.Schumacher’s wife, Corinna, and daughter Gina-Marie, 16, were at the hospital along with his son Mick.
Olivier
Panis, a former French F1 driver who lives in Grenoble, tried to visit
his friend on Sunday evening but was turned away by authorities.
The
hospital was being heavily guarded by police.
A spokesman said: ‘A
security cordon has been placed around certain areas of the hospital.
Extra officers have been drafted in.’
Schumacher is a passionate skier, and has a run named after him in the Italian ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio.
Meribel is in the Tarentaise Valley, part of Les Trois Vallees, the largest ski area in the world, in the province of Savoie.
It is a popular destination for luxury hotels and world-class skiing conditions.
Christophe
Gernigon-Lecomte, director of tourism in Meribel, said: ‘This accident
is the proof that you can’t do whatever you want. It’s necessary to stay
on the pistes, even when weather conditions are good.’
It was bright and sunny in Meribel on Sunday morning.
Schumacher
is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time,
having won the most championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole
positions and races in a single season.
He
won the championship seven times, and retired officially at the end of
the 2012 season, having returned from a four-year break from the sport.
He turned down the chance to drive for Lotus in the final two races of
this year.
Schumacher suffered fractures in his head and neck when he fell off his motorcycle in Spain in February 2009.
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