Question

A patient is admitted to an acute care hospital following a motor vehicle accident. the patient is presently in a state of unconsciousness without arousal, eye opening, or sleep-wake cycles. the patient does possess intact brainstem reflexes upon examination. Which diagnosis is most likely?

1. Brain death
2. Coma
3. Vegetative state
4. Locked in syndrome

Answer 1

The most likely diagnosis for a patient in a state of unconsciousness with intact brainstem reflexes following a motor vehicle accident is a coma.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a patient is admitted to an acute care hospital following a motor vehicle accident and is in a state of unconsciousness without arousal, eye opening, or sleep-wake cycles, but still possesses intact brainstem reflexes upon examination, the most likely diagnosis is a coma. A coma is a deep state of prolonged unconsciousness where a person cannot be awakened and does not respond to painful stimuli, light, or sound, lacks a normal wake-sleep cycle, and does not initiate voluntary actions, though brainstem reflexes may still be present. This condition differs from brain death, where there is no brain activity, even at the level of brainstem reflexes; the vegetative state, where some level of arousal may be preserved; and locked-in syndrome, where the patient is aware and awake but cannot move or communicate due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles.