We invite you to ask our neurosurgeon a question. We will
make very effort to post responses in a timely fashion. Your question will
be posted on our site after we have reviewed it, and responded. Please check
back for a response. Your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.
Thank you for submitting your question.
Answers to your Questions
04/09/2009:
Q: My dad has heart problems and required a defibrillator. Unfortunately it went off and he hit is head. He was on plavix was in hospital and they did not pick it up at first that he was bleeding. He had abrupt cofusion but then was cleared by neurologist went home and confusion did get better after about two days. He ended up in hospital a month later with bliateral subdural hematomas had emergency brain surgery and started to do better then worse and they went in a second time. Discovering that he was put back on plavix after first surgery. This second time they told us he could never be anticoagulated and was in hospital a few days then down to a rehab facility. During medicine review the nurse revealed he was on aspirin and we were very upset and called our regular doctor and he said that the neurosurgeon put him on it. He is also put on kepra and they started it IV in the hospital and now orally at rehab. He was very lethargic then started to be more alert now he is in a sleep state again. They just did his cat scan again a determined he is not bleeding and the brain did not shift. What could be causing him to be in this almost comatose state throughout the day?
Jennie, Pennsylvania
Neurosurgeon Response:
A: Thank you for your question. The evaluation of "consciousness" is a very complex thing that I cannot comment on without examining your father and review his medical records and imaging. I would suggest you speak with your father's neurologist and neurosurgeon and ask them this important questions. Some things that can make a person comatose such as medications or blood clots on the brain are potentially revesible, whereas others such as certain strokes, may not be.
