What Is a Medically Induced Coma and Why Is It Used?

[Richard D]

What Is a Medically Induced Coma and Why Is It Used?

Medically induced comas are only used when other options are lacking.

By David Biello | January 10, 2011 | 0

In the case of traumatic brain injury—such as the bullet wound sustained by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords—doctors sometimes induce a coma. This effective shutdown of brain function naturally occurs only in cases of extreme trauma so why would doctors seek to mimic it in patients, as they have with the Congresswoman, already suffering from head wounds and other issues?

The answer lies in the science behind general anesthesia, which some 60,000 patients undergo every day. A review paper in the December 30, 2010, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine reveals that such anesthesia is, essentially, a reversible coma.

That is exactly what doctors are aiming for in the case of a true medically-induced coma, often using the same drugs or extreme hypothermia induced by exposure to a cold environment to halt blood flow entirely and permit surgery on the aorta. Shutting down function can give the brain time to heal without the body performing radical triage by shutting off blood flow to damaged sections. To find out more about such medically induced comas and the reasons why doctors employ them, Scientific American spoke with anesthesiologist Emery Brown of Harvard Medical School, co-author of the NEJM review.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-is-a-medically-induced-coma

[shireen]

1. the thing that freaks me out

about it is the sense of helplessness she must be feeling when they periodically reverse the coma to check her brain function. She is aware and can respond to commands, but she can't talk because of the ventilator. A recent report i read said that she had been trying to grab the tube. I bet she wants to rip that thing out and say something. There have been several occasions when I've been very sick, lying in a hospital bed, alone and terrified, too weak to move. It's the worst feeling. I feel so sad for her.

[Control-Z]

3. I know exactly what you mean.

She must want to scream and pull that tube out every time she wakes up. She's probably in a great deal of discomfort - from the pain of the injury and the surgery and the horrible feeling of the tube down her throat. It must be terrifying. And while everyone is cheering her movements and consciousness, she is probably happy to be dosed back to sleep right now. Like you, I'm talking from experience.

[Peregrine Took]

2. I wish they would play Mozart for her now.

We did that for my sister in law when she was in a coma and the docs at the hospital were shocked and delighted when she came around - even at age 85 and she is fine today. At that time they thought if she recovered she would be in a vegetative state.

I'm not saying it was the music alone but I feel its very powerful and healing. Plus I heard something new today that it increases your dopamine level.



http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/health/20prof.html

[Richard D]

4. Great idea

I wonder if you could get that message through. Somehow I think so. Please try.