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Indian Journal of Neurotrauma 2005; 02(02): 81-85
DOI: 10.1016/S0973-0508(05)80019-X
Review Article
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Persistent vegetative state in Head injury

Deepak Kumar Gupta
,
AK Mahapatra
Subject Editor:
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Publication History

Publication Date:
05 April 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Vegetative state is a clinical condition of complete unawareness of the self and the environment, accompanied by sleep-wake cycles, with either complete or partial preservation of hypothalamic and brain-stem autonomic functions. The clinical course and outcome of a persistent vegetative state depend on its cause. Post-traumatic unawareness persisting for more than a month should not be considered an irreversible condition, because an outcome that might be regarded by some as being acceptable is possible even in patients with very severe brain damage. Recovery of consciousness from a posttraumatic persistent vegetative state is unlikely after 12 months in adults and children. For most such patients, life expectancy ranges from 2 to 5 years; survival beyond 10 years is unusual. Corpus callosum and dorsolateral brainstem lesions are highly significant in predicting nonrecovery. Long-term prognosis of post-traumatic vegetative state (VS) remains poorly defined. Essential prognostic factors of VS include threat blink reflex presence, ventricular dilatation, brainstem and corpus callosal injury; motor score (Glasgow Coma Score) and presence of spontaneous eye movements.

Keywords

persistent vegetative state - diffuse axonal injury - outcome - severe head injury
 

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