No abstract available.
Humans ; Persistent Vegetative State*

No abstract available.
Brain ; Brain Death ; Persistent Vegetative State ; Regeneration

Detecting signs of learning in persons diagnosed to be in a post-coma vegetative state and minimally conscious state (MCS) may modify their diagnosis. We report the case of a 65-year-old female in a vegetative state. We used microswitch-based technology that is based on patient response to eye-blinking. We followed an ABABCB design, in which A represented baseline periods, B intervention periods with stimuli contingent on the responses, and C a control condition with stimuli presented non-contingently. We observed the level of response during the B phases was higher than the level of A and C phases. This indicated the patient showed signs of learning. This state was confirmed by an evaluation through the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRSR) score, and after completion of this study her CRSR score changed from 4 to 10. We believe microswitch technology may be useful to make a diagnosis of MCS and offer new opportunities for education to MCS patients.
Aged ; Coma ; Female ; Humans ; Learning ; Persistent Vegetative State

Detecting signs of learning in persons diagnosed to be in a post-coma vegetative state and minimally conscious state (MCS) may modify their diagnosis. We report the case of a 65-year-old female in a vegetative state. We used microswitch-based technology that is based on patient response to eye-blinking. We followed an ABABCB design, in which A represented baseline periods, B intervention periods with stimuli contingent on the responses, and C a control condition with stimuli presented non-contingently. We observed the level of response during the B phases was higher than the level of A and C phases. This indicated the patient showed signs of learning. This state was confirmed by an evaluation through the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRSR) score, and after completion of this study her CRSR score changed from 4 to 10. We believe microswitch technology may be useful to make a diagnosis of MCS and offer new opportunities for education to MCS patients.
Aged ; Coma ; Female ; Humans ; Learning ; Persistent Vegetative State

No abstract available.
Adult ; Dumping Syndrome ; Gastrostomy ; Humans ; Persistent Vegetative State

Although the life expectancy of posttraumatic persistent vegetative state is obviously expected to be shorter than that of the general population, exact estimates of the length of survival are not available, however. The author, after reviewing literatures on the definition, criteria for diagnosis, and prognosis of the persistent vegetative state, has proposed a table for the estimation of life expectancy of posttraumatic persistent vegetative state. In this proposal, age and sex of the patient as well as the duration of the vegetative state were used as determining factors of lifespan. Although this proposal is not based on the actual data, it still could serve as a helpful reference to estimate the patients life expectancy and minimizing discrepancies among clinicians with different personal experience.
Craniocerebral Trauma ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Life Expectancy* ; Persistent Vegetative State* ; Prognosis

The author analysed CT findings and long-term outcomes of 67 patients with acute carbon monoxide poisoning. Low density lesions were demonstrated in 44 patients (65.7%). Hemorrhage and calcification also showed with low density lesions in 3 and 2 patients, respectively. The most common findings, seen in 22 patients, was bilaterally symmetrical round low density lesion in the globus pallidus and adjacent area of internal capsule with variable sizes. In 18 patients there were diffuse symmetrical low density lesion in the cerebral white matter, especially around the centrum semiovale, with slight or marked extension. Of 44 patients with CT abnormalities seven patients recovered without disability, fifteen recovered with some disability, eighteen remained in the vegetative state, and four died. The outcome of acute carbon monoxide poisoning depended on the severity of the cerebral white matter change in CT of brain. The size of the bilateral globus pallidus lesion was not heopful to determine the longterm outcome of acute carbon monoxide poisoning.
Brain* ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning* ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Globus Pallidus ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Internal Capsule ; Persistent Vegetative State

Surgico-clinical study was done in the cases of 21 middle cerebral artery aneurysms associated in intracerebral hematoma. Compare with other aneurysms, hematoma associated middle cerebral aneurysms have more higher mortality and morbidity because of the profound initial bleeding effect and also combining brain edema and brain shift due to hematomal space occupying. Relative early surgery which was one stage operation as removal of hematoma and followed by direct clipping of aneurysm was recommended. Surgical mortality was 38% and morbidity was 14.3%, and the post-operative morbidity cases were vegetative state in all.
Aneurysm ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Mortality ; Persistent Vegetative State

Hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) that occurs simultaneously in different sites is an uncommon malady. Moreover, ICH occurring simultaneously in the supra- and infra-tentorial regions is a rare clinical event. A 74-year-old female presented with multiple ICHs and intraventricular hemorrhage, and she displayed a semicomatose mentality. The ICH occurred in the right basal ganglia and the pons extending to the midbrain. Conservative management was performed, and the patient remained in a vegetative state. We report here on a rare case of multiple hypertensive ICH that occurred simultaneously in the supra- and infra-tentorial regions.
Aged ; Basal Ganglia ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Hypertensive ; Mesencephalon ; Persistent Vegetative State ; Pons

Most people presume that the life expectancy of disbled persons after head injury may be shorter than that of the general population. Except for a few specific situations, such as the persistent vegetative state or in patients with a traumatic epilepsy, there are no firm medical evidences to support such a presumption. Furthermore, there are no available guidelines or data for proper estimation of the length of survival for such patients. Estimation based on the limited data or personal experience may cause considerable discrepancies among doctors. The author had reviewed literatures on the life expectancy of disabled or head injured persons, and proposed a scheme or estimation of the life expectancy of disabled persons after head injury. Age and sex of the disabled person, and everity of the disability were used as factors determining the lifespan. This proposal can be a useful reference to estimate the life expectancy of disabled persons after head injury, which will reduce the discrepancy derived from doctors' personal experiences.
Craniocerebral Trauma* ; Disabled Persons* ; Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic ; Head* ; Humans ; Life Expectancy* ; Persistent Vegetative State