From the ancient Greek "coma" is translated as "deep sleep". While a person is in a state of coma, the nervous system is depressed. This is very dangerous, because this process progresses and failure of vital organs is possible, for example, respiratory activity may stop. Being in a coma, a person stops responding to external stimuli and the world around him, he may have no reflexes.
Stages of a coma
Classifying coma according to the degree of its depth, we can distinguish the following types of such a state:
- Precoma. Being in this state, a person remains conscious, while there is a slight confusion in actions, impaired coordination. The body functions according to the accompanying disease.
- Coma 1 degree. The body's response is verystrongly inhibited even to strong stimuli. It is difficult to find contact with the patient, while he can make simple movements, for example, turn in bed. Reflexes are preserved, but very weakly expressed.
- Coma 2 degrees. The patient is in a deep stage of sleep. Movements are possible, but they are performed spontaneously and in a chaotic manner. The patient does not feel touch, the pupils do not react to light, there is a violation of the respiratory function.
- Coma 3 degrees. Deep state of coma. The patient does not respond to pain, the reaction of the pupils to light is completely absent, reflexes are not observed, the temperature is lowered. Violations occur in all body systems.
- Coma 4 degrees. A state from which it is already impossible to get out. A person has no reflexes, the pupils are dilated, hypothermia of the body is observed. The patient cannot breathe on his own.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the condition of a person who is in a penultimate coma.
Coma 3 degrees. Chances of Survival
This is a very dangerous condition for human life, in which the body cannot practically function independently. Therefore, how long the unconscious state will last is impossible to predict. It all depends on the body itself, on the degree of brain damage, on the age of the person. Getting out of a coma is quite difficult, as a rule, only about 4% of people are able to overcome this barrier. At the same time, even under the condition that a person came to his senses, most likely hewill remain disabled.
In the event of being in a third-degree coma and regaining consciousness, the recovery process will be very long, especially after such serious complications. As a rule, people learn to speak, sit, read, walk again. The rehabilitation period can take quite a long time: from several months to several years.
According to studies, if in the first 24 hours after the onset of a coma a person does not feel external stimuli and pain, and the pupils do not react to light in any way, then such a patient will die. However, if at least one reaction is present, then the prognosis is more favorable for recovery. It is worth noting that the he alth of all organs and the age of the patient, who has a coma of 3 degrees, play a huge role.
Chances of surviving after an accident
About thirty thousand people a year die as a result of road accidents and three hundred thousand become their victims. Many of them become disabled as a result. One of the most common consequences of an accident is a traumatic brain injury, which often causes a coma.
If, after an accident, a person's life requires hardware maintenance, and the patient himself does not have any reflexes and does not respond to pain and other stimuli, a coma of the 3rd degree is diagnosed. The chances of survival after the accident that led to this condition are negligible. The prognosis for such patients is disappointing, but there is still a chance for a return to life. It all depends on the degreebrain injury as a result of an accident.
If grade 3 coma is diagnosed, the chances of survival depend on the following factors:
- Degree of brain injury.
- Long-term effects of TBI.
- Fracture of the base of the skull.
- Fractured calvarium.
- Fracture of the temporal bones.
- Concussion.
- Injury to the blood vessels.
- Cerebral edema.
Chance of surviving after a stroke
A stroke is a disruption in the blood supply to the brain. It happens for two reasons. The first is a blockage of blood vessels in the brain, the second is a cerebral hemorrhage.
One of the consequences of cerebrovascular accident is coma (apoplektiform coma). In case of hemorrhage, a coma of the 3rd degree may occur. The chances of survival after a stroke are directly related to age and the extent of damage. Signs of the onset of such a state:
- Unconscious.
- Change in complexion (turns purple).
- Loud breathing.
- Vomiting.
- Trouble swallowing.
- Slow heart rate.
- Increase in blood pressure.
The duration of a coma depends on a number of factors:
- Coma stage. In the first or second stage, the chances of recovery are very high. With the third or fourth outcome, as a rule, unfavorable.
- Conditionorganism.
- Age of the patient.
- Providing the necessary equipment.
- Caring for the sick.
Signs of third-degree coma with stroke
This state has its own distinctive features:
- No response to pain.
- Pupils do not respond to light stimuli.
- Lack of swallowing reflex.
- Lack of muscle tone.
- Lower body temperature.
- Inability to spontaneously breathe.
- Defecation occurs uncontrollably.
- Presence of seizures.
As a rule, the prognosis for recovery from a third-degree coma is unfavorable due to the absence of vital signs.
Probability of survival after a coma of a newborn
A child may fall into a coma in case of a deep disorder of the central nervous system, which is accompanied by loss of consciousness. The following pathological conditions serve as the reason for the development of a coma in a child: renal and hepatic insufficiency, meningoencephalitis, tumor and brain injury, diabetes mellitus, water and electrolyte imbalance, cerebral hemorrhage, hypoxia during childbirth and hypovolemia.
Newborns fall into a coma much more easily. It is very scary when a coma of the 3rd degree is diagnosed. A child has a higher chance of survival than older people. This is due to the characteristics of the child's body.
In the case when a coma of 3 degrees occurs, the newborn has a chance of survival, but, tounfortunately very small. If the baby manages to get out of a serious condition, severe complications or disability are possible. At the same time, we should not forget about the percentage of children, albeit a small one, who managed to cope with this without any consequences.
The consequences of a coma
The longer the unconscious state lasts, the more difficult it will be to get out of it and recover. Everyone can have a coma of 3 degrees in different ways. The consequences, as a rule, depend on the degree of damage to the brain, the duration of being unconscious, the causes that led to the coma, the state of he alth of the organs and age. The younger the body, the higher the chances of a favorable outcome. However, doctors rarely make a prognosis for recovery, since such patients are very difficult.
Despite the fact that newborns come out of a coma more easily, the consequences can be the most deplorable. Doctors immediately warn relatives how dangerous grade 3 coma is. Of course, there are chances of survival, but at the same time, a person can remain a “plant” and never learn to swallow, blink, sit and walk.
For an adult, a long stay in a coma is fraught with the development of amnesia, the inability to move and speak, eat and defecate independently. Rehabilitation after a deep coma can take from a week to several years. At the same time, recovery may not occur, and a person will remain in a vegetative state until the end of his life, when you can only sleep and breathe on your own, withthis without reacting to what is happening.
Statistics suggests that the chance of a full recovery is extremely small, but such events do happen. Most often, a fatal outcome is possible, or in the event of a recovery from a coma, a severe form of disability.
Complications
The main complication after experiencing a coma is a violation of the regulatory functions of the central nervous system. Subsequently, vomiting often occurs, which can enter the respiratory tract, and stagnation of urine, which is fraught with rupture of the bladder. Complications also affect the brain. Coma often leads to respiratory failure, pulmonary edema, and cardiac arrest. Often these complications lead to biological death.
Expediency of maintaining body functions
Modern medicine allows you to artificially maintain the vital activity of the body for a long time, but often the question arises of the appropriateness of these activities. Such a dilemma arises for relatives when they are told that the brain cells have died, that is, in fact, the person himself. Often the decision is made to disconnect from artificial life support.
