Coma and Injuries Causing Coma
The Mayo Clinic defines a coma as a state of prolonged unconsciousness. A coma can have a variety of causes, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, tumor, illness, or drug or alcohol use. While unconscious, the patient generally does not respond to stimuli (such as shining a light in the patient’s eyes or pricking the extremities to get an involuntary response) and doesn’t make any voluntary actions.
Read more: Coma symptoms and causes
Understanding Comas
In some instances, coma patients may make verbal sounds, sudden movements, or even speak, but these actions are typically not voluntary. While most coma patients typically recover from their injuries within a few weeks, patients who are unconscious for longer than that may transition into a lasting vegetative state for months to even years, potentially resulting in brain death.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury resulting in a coma, you may have heard physicians utilize the phrase Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). That medical term is used by medical professionals to describe how “deep” the patient’s coma is. The GCS measures how well patients respond to stimuli and tracks eye movement, responses to verbal queues, motor skills and reflexes. The GCS scores patients on a scale of 1-15 across three categories: eye, verbal responses, and motor responses. The higher the score the more functional the patient.
For example, a patient who is awake and responsive with no cognitive issues would receive a GCS of 15. Conversely, a patient in a very deep coma could be scored at 8 or lower. Calculating a patient’s GCS is not only helpful for a physician in determining the extent of treatment a patient currently needs but is also a useful predictor in determining and preparing for the level of care a patient may require when they emerge from their coma.
Do You Have a Coma Malpractice Suit?
Coma malpractice includes:
(1) making a mistake during surgery that causes a coma,
(2) anesthesia errors
(3) over-medicating a patient
(4) failure to diagnose/treat a stroke
(5) failure to monitor/maintain blood pressure.
Like all significant injuries and illnesses, those resulting in a coma are tremendously difficult for family members close to the victim. Although the patient is alive, they are generally unresponsive, and it is difficult for physicians to accurately predict if or when the patient will recover, especially within the first 24 hours of a traumatic brain injury. The cost of continuing to treat a comatose patient can also be tremendous.
Lastly, when a patient emerges from a coma, they will normally be transferred to an intensive care unit and may need longer-term round-the-clock medical care, a financial burden that can result in economic hardship to the patient and their family. Patients also can experience coma-related problems after emerging from unconsciousness, such as memory loss and inability to recognize family members. This can lead to additional emotional heartache and anguish.
If you or a loved one has been affected by injuries causing a coma, it is critical to have an informed, detail-oriented, and dedicated medical malpractice attorney who will tirelessly advocate for you and your case. Please contact Andrew G. Slutkin and Ethan S. Nochumowitz at SIlverman Thompson for a free consultation, toll-free, at 800-385-2243.