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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Treatment Can Be Taken For Severe Brain Damage?

38 year old woman suffered severe brain damage, on life supoort and in nursing home. no follow up care requested.silently coughs raising heas off thr bed when being suctioned it looks pain in her face, she has openned bith eyes though the rtght pupi is not centered, she yawns stretchs, grinds theeth. is she stil in a coms
posted on Fri, 14 Mar 2014
Twitter Fri, 19 Jul 2019 Answered on
Twitter Mon, 22 Jul 2019 Last reviewed on
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Neurologist,  's  Response
Hi,

You are describing symptoms consistent with a VEGETATIVE STATE since eyes are open and there are definitely some signs of physical movements she makes that are not under VOLUNTARY or THOUGHTFUL CONTROL.

Coma is a state of deep UNCONSCIOUSNESS during which time the patient is entirely unaware of what's going on in their environment and unresponsive to any stimulation, even pain.

Eyes need to be closed in a COMA. Her neurological status of alertness would be BEST assessed in order to fully verify she is in a vegetative state vs. anything else by a NEUROLOGIST.

That type of doctor has special knowledge that allows him to look for distinguishing features of physical responsiveness AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION things such as medications that could be SEDATING or causing excessive changes in states of alertness such that people on respirators who appear to be vegetative may actually be fully intact and cognizant of things IF NOT for the drugs or medications they are being given to help them tolerate such things as RESPIRATORS or excruciating pain from a cancer of some other severe trauma.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Dariush Saghafi, Neurologist
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What Treatment Can Be Taken For Severe Brain Damage?

Hi, You are describing symptoms consistent with a VEGETATIVE STATE since eyes are open and there are definitely some signs of physical movements she makes that are not under VOLUNTARY or THOUGHTFUL CONTROL. Coma is a state of deep UNCONSCIOUSNESS during which time the patient is entirely unaware of what s going on in their environment and unresponsive to any stimulation, even pain. Eyes need to be closed in a COMA. Her neurological status of alertness would be BEST assessed in order to fully verify she is in a vegetative state vs. anything else by a NEUROLOGIST. That type of doctor has special knowledge that allows him to look for distinguishing features of physical responsiveness AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION things such as medications that could be SEDATING or causing excessive changes in states of alertness such that people on respirators who appear to be vegetative may actually be fully intact and cognizant of things IF NOT for the drugs or medications they are being given to help them tolerate such things as RESPIRATORS or excruciating pain from a cancer of some other severe trauma. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Dariush Saghafi, Neurologist