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Man whose heart stopped on the slopes last year reunites with doctors, nurses
Closeto400daysago,SteveBombergerlaytemporarilylifelessontheskislopesatCamelbackResortinthePoconos. OnWednesday,thesituationwasasdifferentasabunnyslopefromadoubleblack-diamondrun.
ItwasreuniondayforBomberger,67,avolunteerskirangeratCamelback,andthosewhohadahandinrestartinghis heart,savinghislifeandimplantingastentanddefibrillatorat LehighValleyHospital(LVH)–Pocono.
Bomberger,aretiredDelawarehomebuilderfromLandenberg,ChesterCounty,wasvolunteeringasarangeronthe slopesatCamelbacklastApril2,somethingheoftendid.HissecondhomeinnearbyPoconoPinesputshiminthe middleofPoconoskiterritory.
“Cardiaccaretodayforsuddenout-of-hospitalcardiacarrestisactuallyateamsport.Weneedawholeteamtobe abletogetthatpatientbacktolifeandbeafunctionalperson.”-JonathanGoldner,DO
AshespokewithCamelbackskipatrolmembersMikeBrongandRichMiller,Bomberger’sworldwentdark,andhe slumpedtothesnowwithnoheartbeat.Brong,aformerparamedic,andMillerjumpedintoaction,performing cardiopulmonaryresuscitation(CPR)andcallingintotheskipatrolbaseforsomeonetobringanautomatedexternal defibrillator(AED).
BombergerregainedconsciousnessafterthefirstshockfromtheAED.HewastakentoLVH–Pocono,where Anil Gupta,MD,ChiefofCardiology,installedastentinBomberger’spartiallyblockedcoronaryartery.
Bomberger had an automated defibrillator implanted by cardiologist and electrophysiologist Simon Gringut, MD, as insurance against a future sudden cardiac arrest Dr Gringut says people who experience sudden cardiac arrest have a 50% chance of a recurrence, which is why the defibrillator was implanted.
Cardiac care today for sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is actually a team sport,” Jonathan Goldner, DO, Chief Medical Officer at LVH–Pocono and LVH–Dickson City, told those gathered at LVH–Pocono for the reunion “We need a whole team to be able to get that patient back to life and be a functional person.”
Dr. Goldner credited all who played a role in helping Bomberger, from Miller and Brong’s use of CPR and the AED, to paramedics who took Bomberger to LVH–Pocono, to the hospital’s cardiac team.
“They [Brong and Miller] were the ones who made the cake We just put the icing on,” Dr Gupta says He said their quick action prevented the need for more advanced cardiac care, such as a temporary heart pump. Bomberger’s heart suffered no damage when it stopped. Had Bomberger needed that more advanced care, it is only available in the region at LVH–Pocono.
Brong and Miller remain modest about their good deed. They have credited their CPR and AED training for the happy ending to the story and are gratified to have been there when they were needed most
Bomberger was at Wedn berg, when she got the call last year about her husband recounted the day his heart stopped on the slopes.
He called Miller and Bron ught them on the trail that day to bring me back,” Bomb ked for in an area I’m not familiar with. I’m not fro o have had such a great outcome.”
Dr. Goldner says more th ac arrest, with 60%-80% never making it to the hospital
Holding back tears, Bom loved ones. His daughter got married in October, and lost on anyone. “It was a very emotional day for me to not being able to do that,” he says.
