BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- After a month in a medically induced coma, Michael Schumacher's manager has revealed that the doctors treating the F1 great have started to reduce the 45-year-old’s sedation, in a bid to hopefully bring him back to consciousness.
Medical experts have warned though...that if Schumacher hasn’t recovered enough to wake up on his own, doctors might need to put him back into the coma.
The seven-time F1 champion suffered serious injuries when he fell and hit his head on a rock when he was skiing with his son in France in December. Brain experts say it will be fundamental to determine whether Schumacher is aware of his surroundings and can respond to basic commands from doctors, like raising his hand. His neurologists are also warning that recovering from serious traumatic brain injuries such as this can take a long time.
"First of all, the process of awakening the patient must proceed carefully, because an increase in pressure inside the skull means swelling, and swelling means the brain suffers. So that’s the main risk. The factor in favor of Michael Schumacher, is the fact that he’s a professional sportsman, and because of this, his physical and mental health and immunity are exceptional. As I said, I don’t have enough information, and recovery from serious traumatic brain injuries takes months, and sometimes a few years." Dr. Jean-Luc Truelle, Retired Neurologist, said.