At 58 years old, fifty of which have been in the spotlight, Tina Arena thought she had experienced it all. However, in 2023, his body sent him an unprecedented alarm signal. “My kidney was exploding” she confided to Frédéric Lopez.
After an emergency operation, the singer had to face a formidable complication: sepsis. A fight lasting “eight to nine months” which radically changed his vision of existence.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a generalized inflammatory response of the body to a serious infection. As the Pasteur Institute points out, it can be a common bacteria penetrating via a simple skin lesion.
Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical, explains the mechanisms at play.Sepsis then creates edema and generalized vasodilation.”
“To counter this phenomenon and maintain a certain blood pressure, we use vasoconstrictor drugs which concentrate the blood towards the vital organs. adds the doctor.
Warning signs: a race against time
The speed of progression is the main danger of this pathology. “This type of sepsis can very quickly affect internal organs such as the lungs, kidneys or heart.” warns Dr. Kierzek.
“When you have an injury or infection, whatever its nature – what is referred to in medicine as a gateway – and you notice local and global progression, it is crucial to act quickly!“insists our specialist. What are the indicators of a deterioration in general condition?
- A high fever or abnormally low temperature;
- Tachycardia (rapid heart rate);
- Tachypnea (accelerated breathing);
- A drop in blood pressure.
The vital importance of “golden hours”
Faced with sepsis, every minute counts. For Dr. Gérald Kierzek, anticipation is the key to survival. “In sepsis, the first three hours are crucial to saving the person, what we call the “golden hours”. Every hour of delay in administering antibiotics increases mortality.”
In the most extreme cases, the use of norepinephrine to maintain tension can lead to limb necrosis.
“This survival mechanism can also reduce blood circulation in the limbs, causing ischemia or even necrosis, which sometimes makes amputation inevitable.” he concludes.
Fortunately, this was not the case for Tina Arena. Now recovered and back on stage to thank her French audience, the singer of Aller plus haute proves that resilience, combined with rapid medical care, allows us to overcome the darkest ordeals.