Clinical Specialties

The GW Medical Faculty Associates is an elite, academic medical team delivering care through 51 medical and surgical specialties. 

Clinical Specialties
Click Here to make an online appointment
MFA - The NewsWire
Coma

DEFINITION

Coma is a word used to describe a state of unconsciousness and is a medical emergency. This unconscious state may be due to many different problems including stroke, brain tumor, serious infections, heart attack (with prolonged lack of oxygen to the brain), drugs, alcohol, seizures, traumatic head injury or underlying illness or disorder. When a patient comes to the hospital with an unconscious state, doctors must work quickly to determine the cause and treat it in order to preserve brain function and increase the likelihood of survival. Most of the time, comas don’t last longer than several weeks. When a coma last longer than a few weeks, it generally turns into a persistent vegetative state. After three years of being in a persistent vegetative state, it is unlikely that a person will awaken. Traumatic brain injuries from things like car accidents and violent injuries are the most common cause of coma. People with coma are more likely to have complications from being in the hospital like pneumonia and urinary tract infections.

SYMPTOMS
Closed eyes, no response to stimuli, no movement of limbs (though some reflex movements can still happen), no response of pupils to light, irregular breathing

DIAGNOSIS
Doctors diagnose coma beginning with a physical exam and laboratory testing. They rely heavily on any other people who may have been witness to the accident or days prior to the coma for additional details about the person’s activities and habits. The physical exam will focus on reflexes but also on any potential cause of the coma. Laboratory tests can include blood cell levels, electrolytes, liver function, blood sugar (glucose), drug levels, and carbon monoxide. If infection is suspected, the intensive care doctors will likely want to do a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) which involves placing a needle in the back to draw out fluid the surrounds the spinal cord and check for infection. The doctors may also recommend brain scans including computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The doctor may also want to do electroencephalography (EEG) which helps show the electrical activity of the brain.

TREATMENT
Emergency treatment is first done to preserve breathing and circulation in the system. Doctors treat coma depending on the cause of the coma. After stabilizing life, doctors will work to reverse the cause of the coma with treatments and medications. Surgery may be necessary to relieve any pressure that is on the brain due to bleeding or trauma. Coma may reverse in some people, but may also lead to a permanent state of unconsciousness.

MORE CONDITIONS:

ABOUT SSL CERTIFICATES