sutz":3aeog60w said:
A punctured lung from a hit like that would almost have to involve cracked or broken ribs, I would think. What else would puncture the lung? I'd buy bruised, though.
In any event, I don't wish injury on any player, from any team. Hope he is alright.
Actually, blunt force trauma or a "deceleration" injury could cause a collapsed lung. This would cause or result in a pneumothorax (air in the chest). With enough kinetic energy, small tears in the tissue can happen, and this would mimic or really be the same as a punctured lung.
If the injury is severe enough, bleeding into the chest cavity happens. This is called Hemopneumothorax. More serious, and treatment can be a lot more complicated. The bleeding must be stopped, and may require major surgery.
Collapsed lung (with or without) an actual puncture?
The treatment for both would still be the same. Needle decompression and or "chest tube" placement. This would allow the "free" air in the chest cavity to escape (be removed), and in most cases the lung will re-inflate on its own.
We obviously have two lungs, one of them has 3 lobes, the other has 2. We can breath and survive with only one lung, many people do. People can survive with one lung collapsed or partially so but I don't see a high level athlete being able to perform in that situation.
This is a little more detail as to why I immediately questioned this report.
I like Gronk, and I'm glad he appears to be ok.
If y'all haven't seen it in slo mo, one angle shows lil ole Earl just about folding Gronk in half, almost like a lawn chair. It was a brutal hit, one that I'll remember for a long time. I'm fairly certain that Gronk will remember it as well.
I think it's safe to say, that hit effected Gronk's play later in the game, and I'm slightly surprised that ETIII wasn't injured as well.
Truly a hit for the ages.
The fact that it wasn't flagged, and even Gronk and the Pat's aren't claiming it was dirty, makes it even better.
I think the BOOM in LOB is back, and I couldn't be happier about it.
