Saturday, February 25, 2012

Dutch prince suffers brain damage after avalanche


(CNN) -- Johan Friso, the 43-year-old Dutch prince who was injured in an avalanche at an Austrian ski resort last week, has suffered brain damage, his doctor said Friday.

"After the latest neurological test we conducted yesterday it became clear that the lack of oxygen (to) the brain of the patient caused massive damage," Dr. Wolfgang Koller told CNN affiliate SBS NL.

"Fifty minutes of reanimation is a very long time. One could also say too long," he added. "Our hope was that the relatively moderate level of hypothermia might have protected the brain somewhat. Unfortunately this was not the case."

Friso, a son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, had been airlifted to hospital in Innsbruck after the incident.

He was skiing outside the bounds of the ski resort with friends at the resort of Lech am Arlberg when he was hit by an avalanche, a spokesman for the state of Vorarlberg said.

No one else in the group was injured.

source: CNN