Traumatic Brain Injury May Progress to Vegetative Coma

With the rising car crash statistics across the nation, it’s no small wonder the numbers of traumatic brain injuries are also on the increase. Traumatic brain injury patients are at higher risk to slip into a vegetative coma.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are also called contrecoup brain injuries that, in a nutshell, means “A specific area of brain injury located directly opposite to the site of impact to the head that results from linear violent collisions of the brain with the skull.” While many TBIs appear to be just fine after their accident (e.g. Natasha Richardson), they rapidly develop a variety of symptoms that may include headache, nausea, dizziness, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, and problems concentrating.

While a TBI may be classified as mild to severe, even a mild form of TBI may have life altering and long-term consequences. Mild brain injuries usually wind up with the patient either briefly losing consciousness or not, and then feeling dazed and confused later. Moderate brain injuries may last for mere minutes or hours, with the resulting confusion hanging on for weeks or months. The length of time for cognitive impairment may range from months to permanently.

A diagnosis of severe TBI has the potential to last months to years with the patient being unconscious the whole period of time. In these particular cases, the patient runs a very high risk of slipping into what is called a “vegetative state” or “locked in” syndrome. In most instances such as this, impairment, even if there is recovery, is permanent.

TBI cases are touch and go and leave doctors without many options to handle this kind of injury. Treatment mainly consists of stabilizing the patient to prevent further injury and making sure the brain is properly oxygenated, keeping consistent blood flow and controlling the fluctuating blood pressure.

Depending on the cause of the accident that resulted in a TBI, the patient or a representative on behalf of the patient, may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you or a loved one faces something like this, speak to a highly skilled medical malpractice lawyer to obtain compensation.


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