Possible brain damage from ICU stay for 23 days? What part of the stay could have caused it?

Question

I went in for a neck fusion operation and due to complications ended up with ARDS Acute respiratory distress syndrome. For 2 weeks it was touch and go if I would survive. Now its 3 years later and I am much better but still have shortness of breath as my lungs still have not fully recovered.
I don't feel that my mind is as sharp as it was before the hospital stay. I can't solve problems as easily or concentrate/focus as well. My question is whether this could be due to brain damage due to lack of oxygen when my lungs shut down (pulse OX was down to 45 for a short time at the start), or if it may be from the drug over load of being put in a drug induced coma for 3 weeks... or could it for some other reason resulting from the problem. I just want to know what caused the slower brain function.
Any insight from professionals would be helpful to my psyche.
Thanks,
Franckie

Answer 1

ARDs is a nasty disorder. In a nutshell the lungs are overloaded with fluids which then dilute the chemical in the lungs that allows them to inflate easily and in turn get oxygen into the blood. When this occurs its is very difficult to ventilate a patient. The standard ventilator simply pushes air into the lungs and this constant pushing of air against the "stiff" lungs tends to tear the tissues, causing what we call barotrauma. In the end the lungs tend to have scaring that is life long.
In addition, if the condition was bad enough they would have to maintain you on 100% oxygen for a period of time and this can quickly start causing oxygen toxicity. No need going into a lot of specifics but its not good and also can damage the lungs, even over fairly short periods of time, hours even. So if you stayed that way for a few days or even a week it just added to the situation.
If your oxygen saturation was too low for a long period of time you certainly could have residual brain damage, which would probably be irreversible.
In addition, the medications that you were given could also have residual effects that last for years, even a life time. Depending on the paralytics used, you could lose memory for a short period of time or forever. Some years back many of the paralytics that were used were discontinued due to these issues and many patients are given a constant drip of diprivan. Its effects are about the same as the full bore paralytics but it clears the system quickly when discontinued and has few side effects. But from what you describe you needed more powerful medications.
I am sorry to hear that you are continuing to experience problems. From the sound of it you did probably experience some mild hypoxia induced brain damage, most of which is irreversible. With time however you may regain some of what you have lost.
Unfortunately with severe cases of ARD's this is fairly typical. It really hasn't been that long since we lost the battle over most cases of this disorder. Today however we have new techniques and better technology and in cases like yours we save the patient. So feel fortunate that you survived this terrible ordeal.

Answer 2

Oxygen deprivation can cause brain damage. Oxygen is sent to the brain via the blood stream. If the blood stream is compromised, you will have less oxygen flow to the brain. If the oxygen in the blood is decreased. You can also suffer brain damage.

ARDS is a tough disease to get over. Your lungs are most likely scared badly. You may want to talk to a doctor or a pulmonologist about getting a pulmonary function test done.

Good luck.

Answer 3

Definitely hypoxia-induced damage. Lack of oxygen kills brain cells.

Perhaps you can ask your doc about effective ways to faciliate the healing of your lungs. Are they irrepairably damaged or is the shortness of breath you are experiencing new?? Either way, I would at least make inquires into how you can ward off further damage if your oxygen saturation is not currently normal.

Sorry you've had to go through so much...