Fabrice Muamba on the mend but 'in effect, he was dead' says doctor
• Bolton doctor says 'early signs of recovery have continued'
• Midfielder's heart needed 15 shocks to start beating again
The Bolton doctor tried unsuccessfully to revive Fabrice Muamba for 48 minutes before he arrived at the London Chest Hospital. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA
• Midfielder's heart needed 15 shocks to start beating again
The Bolton doctor tried unsuccessfully to revive Fabrice Muamba for 48 minutes before he arrived at the London Chest Hospital. Photograph: Dave Thompson/PA
After the news that Bolton Wanderers' game against Blackburn this Saturday would go ahead, there was the good news that Bolton's doctor Jonathan Tobin confirmed Fabrice Muamba had been able to recount the events at White Hart Lane last Saturday.
"I'm glad to say that the early signs of recovery have continued. I went to see Fabrice last night. I went in and he said: 'Hi, doc.' I asked him how he was and he said: 'Fine.'
Tobin said the player had asked him what had happened. "I explained to him what had happened," he said. "That's the sort of level of communication I have had with Fabrice."
Tobin said that medics tried unsuccessfully to revive Muamba for 48 minutes before he arrived at the London chest hospital and that it then took another 30 minutes before Muamba's heart started beating again, having received 15 shocks. It had been stopped for two hours, raising fears of significant brain damage, even if Muamba survived. "In effect, he was dead in that time," said Tobin.
