How does induced coma work?

Answer 1

When I was a child, my favourite books were James Herriot's tales of veterinary practice. I remember one story where a ewe was really ill and he decided he would put her down. When he was called back the following week, the ewe was up and about and he had realised that instead of killing her he had induced a barbiturate coma that had allowed the basic functions of life to continue the healing process without any interference by the conscious mind. By not feeling pain and being immobile further injury was prevented and the body could slowly knit together again. This was in the 1930s.

Answer 2

Coma is a state of unconsciousness and, in medical terms, is produced (or induced) by general anaesthetic or sedative agents.

This is used in intensive care, to render partially conscious patients completely unconscious. The reason for this is that, if you are partially conscious, then you may manage to lose your airway (swallow your tongue/block your throat etc..), or stop breathing. However, were you to be intubated, then you would be conscious enough to have a reflex laryngospasm, which would cause the vocal cords to slam shut to protect the lungs (but would also make it impossible for you to breathe, or to be ventilated - unless a paralysing drug is given quickly).

These days, propofol is used as the intravenous agent (in the UK), rather than barbiturates, as it is less toxic if the dose is too high.

There is another sort of induced coma, which is a metabolic induced coma (eg by low blood sugar). This rather dangerous practice was tried as a treatment for schizophrenia (without much success). When antipsychotic medication was invented in the 50s and 60s, this revolutionised psychiatry, and coma therapy was not used any more.

Answer 3

A barbiturate-induced coma, or barb coma, is a temporary coma (a deep state of unconsciousness) brought on by a controlled dose of a barbiturate drug, usually pentobarbital or thiopental. Barbiturate comas are used to protect the brain during major surgery, and as a last line of treatment in certain cases of status epilepticus that have not responded to other treatments.

Barbiturates reduce the metabolic rate of brain tissue, as well as the cerebral blood flow. With these reductions, the blood vessels in the brain narrow, decreasing the amount of volume occupied by the brain, and hence the intra-cranial pressure. The hope is that, with the swelling relieved, the pressure decreases and some or all brain damage may be averted, however this may not be the case. The brain may swell to such proportions as to rupture and bleed out of the ears and even eyes.

Controversy exists, however, over the benefits of using barbiturates to control intracranial hypertension. Some studies have shown that barbiturate-induced coma can reduce intracranial hypertension but does not necessarily prevent brain damage. Furthermore, the reduction in intracranial hypertension may not be sustained. Some randomized trials have failed to demonstrate any survival or morbidity benefit of induced coma in diverse conditions such as neurosurgical operations, head trauma, intracranial aneurysm rupture, intracranial hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, and status epilepticus.

About 55% of the glucose and oxygen utilisation by the brain is meant for its electrical activity and the rest for all other activities like metabolism. This is recognised by something such as a Electro encephalogram (EEG), which measures electrical activity in the brain. When barbiturates are given to a brain injured patients for Induced coma, they act by reducing the electrical activity of the brain, which in theory reduces the metabolic and oxygen demand. Once there is improvement in the patient's general condition, the barbiturates are withdrawn gradually and the patient regains consciousness.

Answer 4

Induced coma - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_coma

"A barbiturate-induced coma, or barb coma, is a temporary coma (a deep state of unconsciousness) brought on by a controlled dose of a barbiturate drug, usually pentobarbital or thiopental. Barbiturate comas are used to protect the brain during major surgery, and as a last line of treatment in certain cases of status epilepticus that have not responded to other treatments."

Answer 5

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Answer 6

There is a part of your brain called the reticular activating system. It controls the amount of sensory input your brain receives thus regulating consciousness. It is what is used when sleeping to stop the outside world from disturbing you too much.

I would thus think that an induced coma would act on the reticular activating system, decreasing your state of consciousness to the point of being comatose.

Answer 7

A sledgehammer full force will induce a permanent coma.

Answer 8

Sometimes it would be too painful or too dangerous to keep a patient awake... for example if they have suffered severe burns over their whole body.

So they put you in a coma so that you won't move and won't feel any pain.

It's just some sort of medication that they use. I don't know anything specific, sorry.

Answer 9

I'm no expert, but my understanding of induced comas are that patients are drugged to protect brain functions and stop potential brain damage. Coma's mean that the brain functions are reduced to minimal levels and therefore it is harder to suffer brain damage

Answer 10

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