Vegetative State, Persistent

Patients with severe bilateral hemispheric disease may show some improvement from an initially comatose state, so that, after a variable interval, they appear to be awake but display no movement

This is called a "persistent" vegetative state once it has lasted over 4 weeks and has also been variously referred to as akinetic mutism, apallic state, or coma vigil

Patients in a vegetative state from a medical cause (eg, anoxic brain injury) for more than 3 months and from a traumatic brain injury for more than 12 months are said to be in a chronic vegetative state, from which a few patients may regain consciousness but remain severely disabled

Patients appear to be awake with open eyelids but lie motionless

No evidence of awareness or higher mental activity

Simulate coma

Unresponsive

Obtain the expertise of a clinician familiar with this syndrome to aid in the diagnosis

Now differentiated from the minimally conscious state

Supportive care, palliative care