Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta is still in a critical
condition after collapsing and losing consciousness during his
side's Spanish first division match against Getafe on Saturday,
doctors said.
He remains in intensive care "with assisted ventilation and
under sedation after a prolonged cardiac arrest," doctors at the
Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville told a news conference on
Monday.
"The arrest has been caused by repeated incidents of serious
ventricular arrhythmia. These are being controlled with
treatment.
"The patient's situation, 36 hours after being brought in,
continues to be critical as a result of the serious consequences of
the cardiac arrest, including some effects on the brain.
"When a patient is in a critical state there is always a risk.
Also, after a cardiac arrest as prolonged as this it is too early
to give a prognosis or to venture possible after-effects."
The 22-year-old Spanish international collapsed after jogging
back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the game at the Sanchez
Pizjuan.
Team mates and medical staff rushed to his side and were seen
preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost
consciousness.
He was able to walk from the pitch but doctors said that he
collapsed again in the changing rooms and had to be given cardiac
resuscitation before being taken to hospital.
(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2007)