Allon Rafael, MD

02/02/2024

01/05/2023

As a big Papa & Lund fan, it was a great honor to be on their show talking about Damar Hamlin and this very important topic. Hope to increase awareness about cardiac arrest and make automatic external defibrillators more accessible in the community.

Board Certified Cardiologist and Heart rhythm specialist from San Jose Dr. Allon Rafael joins Papa & Lund to breakdown and provide medical detail on Damar Hamlin's Monday night collapse

01/03/2023

The collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin on Monday Night Football was the result of commotio cordis that caused a cardiac arrest. He was struck in the chest by the offensive players helmet seconds before the arrest.

Commotio cordis is a rare phenomenon that can occur when the chest is struck by a projectile, resulting in a life-threatening arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation, cardiac arrest, and if not promptly treated by defibrillation, sudden death.

Team doctors and emergency responders began providing medical attention, including CPR, although it is unclear how quickly he was connected to the automatic external defibrillator (AED) and rescued by a defibrillation shock.

Although a rare phenomenon, it is important that the general population is aware of commotio cordis, especially at sports venues (for children and adults), where a high index of suspicion may help save lives. It is essential that AEDs be present throughout our communities, and that we all learn how to use them.