By reducing the sedative medication the doctors tried to take Kris Boeckmans out of the induced coma. The lung injuries (pneumothorax, laceration of the lung, bleeding of the lung and swollen pulmonary tissue) made it too difficult for Kris to sufficiently breathe independently, so he was placed in an induced coma again, this will certainly remain the case for the next seven days.
Nonetheless, the situation is stable. These injuries are the consequence of the impact on the chest. At the moment the swollen pulmonary tissue prevents an intake of oxygen via the alveoli. This swelling has to disappear slowly in a natural way. The bleeding in the lungs is kept under control by a drain which was already introduced in the thorax earlier.
The family of Kris wants to thank everybody for the many messages of support of the previous days. They choose to remain on the background and not to answer any questions.
Lotto Soudal and the family want to ask the media to distance themselves from information that isn’t spread by the team, this to avoid wrong information. The attending doctors, team doctor Servaas Bingé and the family keep a close contact. Lotto Soudal will always give first-hand information when there is an evolution or when an update is necessary.
©Beth Schneider file photo
