Syracuse football defensive tackle Steven Clark's career put in jeopardy by blood clots

[HtownOrange]

Wishing all the best for Steven, I would hate to be in the limbo he is in right now. I hope the University gets this one right. DiFino's comment about not being comfortable seems a pretty weak reason to hold him out. Unless there is a true scientific/medical reason to not let him play - which should be obvious to all doctors - then let him play.

 

[PhatOrange]

have to believe Syracuse will err on the side of caution. Nobody wants to be liable.

DiFino's response is based on science or feelings?

 

[Roger N]

have to believe Syracuse will err on the side of caution. Nobody wants to be liable.

DiFino's response is based on science or feelings?

Nobody wants to hurt him.

 

[bcubs9497]

have to believe Syracuse will err on the side of caution. Nobody wants to be liable.

DiFino's response is based on science or feelings?

DiFino doesn't have to assume liability, as far as I know. Drs Stucky and Dr Ewing are the two "on the hook" if Steven were to throw a clot and stroke out or suffer a PE. Also, I don't think he's erring on the side of caution.

 

[phsyra]

I assume the SU Team Physician will be in phone contact with Alabama physicians regarding the discrepant opinions. As another outcome option perhaps the Team Physician could choose to refer to another specialist to break a tie. Many fine specialists available for consultation in New York, Rochester, Buffalo, Boston, Birmingham, etc. Major league sports teams all over the country refer athletes to Birmingham physicians all the time for second or third opinions.

 

[bcubs9497]

I assume the SU Team Physician will be in phone contact with Alabama physicians regarding the discrepant opinions. As another outcome option perhaps the Team Physician could choose to refer to another specialist to break a tie. Many fine specialists available for consultation in New York, Rochester, Buffalo, Boston, Birmingham, etc. Major league sports teams all over the country refer athletes to Birmingham physicians all the time for second or third opinions.

Right now, I'm not making any assumptions.

 

[Rocco]

Right now, I'm not making any assumptions.

Ugh, sorry to hear this bcubs9497. I will never, ever understand what goes on up there with some of the medical decisions behind the scenes. It seems like the parents of the kid are always unhappy with the decision and showing how other doctors/specialists have remotely differing opinions on the same subject. Just odd that SU is always taking the super conservative route. Who knows.

I know for a fact that the previous staff had several issues in regards to this. Not sure about the current one.

 

[bcubs9497]

Ugh, sorry to hear this bcubs9497. I will never, ever understand what goes on up there with some of the medical decisions behind the scenes. It seems like the parents of the kid are always unhappy with the decision and showing how other doctors/specialists have remotely differing opinions on the same subject. Just odd that SU is always taking the super conservative route. Who knows.

I know for a fact that the previous staff had several issues in regards to this. Not sure about the current one.

Believe me, they're having the same problems.

 

[Bambrewer]

Cubs if it was me I would take the stance of we are against blood thinners and understand the risks involved with his genetics. His genetics don't create a problem for the team as an impact that causes a clot isn't their responsibility. It could happen to anyone just as anyone could suffer a broken neck on the field. The drugs would create a problem so taking them and allowing him to play could put him at risk. But taking a medication for something which you have no symptoms is a choice. If impacts in the future cause clotting issues that would be a different story.

 

[bcubs9497]

Cubs if it was me I would take the stance of we are against blood thinners and understand the risks involved with his genetics. His genetics don't create a problem for the team as an impact that causes a clot isn't their responsibility. It could happen to anyone just as anyone could suffer a broken neck on the field. The drugs would create a problem so taking them and allowing him to play could put him at risk. But taking a medication for something which you have no symptoms is a choice. If impacts in the future cause clotting issues that would be a different story.

Agreed.

 

[OttoMets]

Steven's in great hands with Santo.

Yeah. Santo's a good doctor and a good man. That anonymous people (apparently without medical training?) reflexively criticize him on a sports message board is disappointing.

 

[Finwad32]

Yeah. Santo's a good doctor and a good man. That anonymous people (apparently without medical training?) reflexively criticize him on a sports message board is disappointing.

Your perspective isn't always the one that matters the most. A good doctor and a good man to you, may not be to someone else. Criticizing versus saying that his opinion was contrary to others' are two different things.

 

[HtownOrange]

Just to be clear, correct me if I am wrong:

Dr. DeFipo is the doctor that is uncomfortable with Steven playing.

Dr. Santo is the team physician that will determine whether Steven can play, later.

 

[bcubs9497]

Yeah. Santo's a good doctor and a good man. That anonymous people (apparently without medical training?) reflexively criticize him on a sports message board is disappointing.

So are Dr Stucky and Dr Ewing.

 

[OttoMets]

So are Dr Stucky and Dr Ewing.

Good, then people who don't know them and are ignorant about their jobs shouldn't criticize them either.

Your perspective isn't always the one that matters the most. A good doctor and a good man to you, may not be to someone else. Criticizing versus saying that his opinion was contrary to others' are two different things.

Yes...I don't think there's a disagreement there.

 

[bcubs9497]

Good, then people who don't know them and are ignorant about their jobs shouldn't criticize them either.

I think it's appropriate to scrutinize his decision in light of the findings by Drs Stucky and Ewing.

 

[OttoMets]

I think it's appropriate to scrutinize his decision in light of the findings by Drs Stucky and Ewing.

Cool, remind them that they're free to second-guess what you do for a living, without any evidence or experience, in a public forum.

 

[KaiserUEO]

I think it's appropriate to scrutinize his decision in light of the findings by Drs Stucky and Ewing.

thats it...im going to end this controversy once and for all, im sending my Dr up to Cuse...

 

[OrangeXtreme]

thats it...im going to end this controversy once and for all, im sending my Dr up to Cuse...

But don't you ever tell me where you found him. Ever.

 

[sufan4eva13]

Let me remind you that the Syracuse medical staff are the people who put Steven in this situation to begin with via a mistake that a layman could recognize. Now the father of that man is being told that he is not clear to play football by that same staff, despite other doctors clearing his son to play. At that point if you aren't skeptical as a father you're not paying close enough attention. This whole situation has caused me to lose a lot of confidence in the Syracuse medical staff.

Cool, remind them that they're free to second-guess what you do for a living, without any evidence or experience, in a public forum.

 

[bcubs9497]

Cool, remind them that they're free to second-guess what you do for a living, without any evidence or experience, in a public forum.

It's the nature of both his job, and mine.

 

[Consigliere]

Cubs, can't imagine how difficult this decision must be for you and Steven. Statistics and probabilities are all well and good in sports but the ramifications of an "upset" mean everything when it comes to health issues. Trust that things go well for Steven and that even if the Syracuse decision is unfavorable that he will move forward and do well whether on or off the field. No matter what happens you will always be Orange to us!

 

[IthacaMatt]

An article on Nunes (I won't link to it) says the famous Dr. Tucker is going to evaluate Clark to determine whether his medical condition will disqualify him from playing football anymore because of risk of blood clots.

As many of us know, Dr. Tucker is a FAMILY DOCTOR, not a specialist in blood clots or hematology. Nor is he a specialist in brain trauma, and yet he has disqualified players in the past for too many concussions, which he may - or may not - be qualified to give an opinion on.

When the hell is this program going to refer to doctors who are actual specialists in the relevant field to give an opinion that determines whether or not a young man will continue to have a career? How MICKEY MOUSE is this football program??

= = = = =

Edit - sorry, I looked for a thread on this topic, but it was farther down. You can merge this with the existing thread or delete it.

 

[Bambrewer]

One thing to remember is Dr tucker doesn't do the evaluations that is done by specialists. He is responsible for taking the recommendations of the specialists and weighing it against the future sports careers for the players and taking into account Syracuse liabilities. If he is doing a fair job of that then he is fine for the job. If he is taking a cautious sports are bad no matter what condition you have and always going against the players playing that would be bad just as if he rubber stamped every kid wanting to play and ignoring the specialists would be bad. In this case my feelings are he can't be disqualified for his condition only for if he takes the drugs. It is Stevens choice if he takes the drug or not. Personally I wouldn't take a blood thinners unless it was a absolutely nesseacry. The side effects of those drugs would put weigh the chance of me having a problem they could prevent

 

[sufan4eva13]

Wait a minute, I think I have misunderstood a HUGE piece of info here. Steven is potentially DQ'd due to the recommendation for blood thinners that he is going to refuse to take, and for that reason alone? If that's the case then they're not actually helping him at all by DQing him because he won't be taking the blood thinners! Hopefully the team doctor takes the fact that Steven is going to be taking the recommendation of the doctors in Alabama regardless of the outcome of this into account, since there is functionally no situation in which blood thinners are ever actually going to prevent him from playing, again if I understand correctly (and obviously I defer to the authoritative voices here, Mr Clark first and foremost).