Anaesthesia & intensive care medicine
Volume 11, Issue 9 , Pages 337-339, September 2010

Coma

Timothy Liversedge MBChB BSc FRCA is a Specialist Registrar in Anaesthesia in the South Thames Deanery and is, at present, at the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery. No conflicts of interest declared

Nicholas Hirsch FRCA, FRCP is a Consultant Neuroanaesthetist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Neurology, London. No conflicts of interest declared

Abstract 

Coma is caused by temporary or permanent damage to the ascending reticular system or to both cerebral hemispheres. It follows that the differential diagnosis of coma is wide. Emergency management of the comatose patient should be instituted as soon as possible to prevent secondary cerebral injury. Accurate diagnosis of the cause requires careful history taking and meticulous general medical and neurological examination followed by targeted investigations.

Keywords: Brainstem reflexes, coma, consciousness, lateralizing signs, meningism, persistent vegetative state

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PII: S1472-0299(10)00131-1

doi:10.1016/j.mpaic.2010.05.008

Anaesthesia & intensive care medicine
Volume 11, Issue 9 , Pages 337-339, September 2010

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