Blood Clot after injury

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Wed Mar 1, 8:16 AM ET

 

 

GLASGOW (Reuters) - Finnish player Markus Paatelainen has revealed

how a newspaper article in his homeland helped save his leg from

amputation after a blood clot developed hours after he was caught on

the shin by a late tackle.

 

The 23-year-old brother of Finland international and current

Cowdenbeath manager Mixu was left in agony when he was scythed down

playing for the Scottish fourth division side in a 4-0 league win at

Elgin City Saturday.

 

He began to feel severe pain in the leg on the journey home and

remembered a story he read about impact-related blood clots.

 

Paatelainen, a former Aberdeen player, told The Scottish Sun: " My

parents send me Finnish newspapers every week and I read about an ice

hockey player who was in a similar situation two weeks ago.

 

" When I started to feel the pain while I was on the bus it was

unbearable and I thought it might be the same thing. I knew I had to

go to hospital then so I got Mixu to take me. "

 

Markus was caught on the outside of his shin by the tackle and also

twisted his knee causing a blood clot.

 

Hospital x-rays revealed there was no break, but doctors spotted the

clot after measuring pressure on the shin and operated immediately at

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

 

" The family and everyone associated with the club are shocked by what

has happened but Markus has been very fortunate, " Mixu Paatelainen

told the Cowdenbeath website.

 

" Such an operation should normally take place within six hours but

Markus was not operated on until 3.30am Sunday morning. But thanks to

the expertise of the medical team the surgery was a success.

 

" Markus will have a second operation tomorrow and will be sidelined

for two to three months. "