A new brain-imaging study recently published in the journal Neurology suggests that thousands of brain-injured people who are treated as if they have lost all awareness may actually hear and register their surroundings, but they are not able to respond.
Not only could these findings have extensive implications for patient care, they could also weigh heavily in court when it comes to cases that dispute the mental state of what appears to be a vegetative patient.
This brain-imaging technology is known as magnetic resonance imaging, and, according to the research, it could prove to be a powerful tool for family members and doctors as they seek to determine a patient's level of mental engagement.
However, other experts view the findings as more suggestive than conclusive, meaning the study should not be interpreted as imposing an increased chance of patient recovery or treatment. On the other hand, the experts agreed the findings opened a window to an area that has been neglected by medical research.
Such findings are relevant to cases such as those of Terri Schiavo and Sarah Scantlin.
Schiavo is the brain-damaged Florida woman who has been kept alive for a number of years despite her estranged husband's apparent desire to end her life by withholding food and water. She is near death now after a court-ordered removal of her feeding tube on March 18. Scantlin is a Kansas woman who suffered a critical head injury over 20 years ago and recently started regaining her memory and showing verbal responsiveness.
Full Story
No comments:
Post a Comment