Caring for Coma after Severe Brain Injury: Clinical Practices and Challenges to Improve Outcomes: An Initiative by the Curing Coma Campaign

Abstract

Severe brain injury can result in disorders of consciousness (DoC), including coma, vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, and minimally conscious state. Improved emergency and trauma medicine response, in addition to expanding efforts to prevent premature withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, has led to an increased number of patients with prolonged DoC. High-quality bedside care of patients with DoC is key to improving long-term functional outcomes. However, there is a paucity of DoC-specific evidence guiding clinicians on efficacious bedside care that can promote medical stability and recovery of consciousness. This Viewpoint describes the state of current DoC bedside care and identifies knowledge and practice gaps related to patient care with DoC collated by the Care of the Patient in Coma scientific workgroup as part of the Neurocritical Care Society's Curing Coma Campaign. The gap analysis identified and organized domains of bedside care that could affect patient outcomes: clinical expertise, assessment and monitoring, timing of intervention, technology, family engagement, cultural considerations, systems of care, and transition to the post-acute continuum. Finally, this Viewpoint recommends future research and education initiatives to address and improve the care of patients with DoC.

Keywords: Brain injury; Coma; Consciousness disorders; Point-of-care.