Electrophysiological Investigations in the Locked-In Syndrome: A Case Report

A 17-year-old boy was involved in an accident the details of which are not well known. It was felt that he might have had some type of questionable arrest from which he was resuscitated and intubated and assessed as being in "deep coma" by the referring hospital. At our hospital, he was fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of electroneurodiagnostic technology 2003-06, Vol.43 (2), p.60-69
Main Authors: Shivji, Zaitoon M., Streletz, Leopold J., Baeesa, Saleh, Girvin, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
"locked-in" syndrome
Alpha-coma
Biological and medical sciences
brainstem lesion
EEG
evoked potentials
Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy
Medical sciences
Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes)
Neurology
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Summary:A 17-year-old boy was involved in an accident the details of which are not well known. It was felt that he might have had some type of questionable arrest from which he was resuscitated and intubated and assessed as being in "deep coma" by the referring hospital. At our hospital, he was found to be completely unresponsive below the eyes. The only evidence of any neurological function over his body was reflex movement of the toes in plantar flexion. Caloric testing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), EEG, and evoked potentials (EPs) were some of the clinical investigations. MRI disclosed abnormality from the pontomedullary junction to C6-C7. This young man exhibited the features of a classic "locked-in" syndrome from a type of traumatic event, which has not previously been reported. EEG and EPs can be very important diagnostic tests in the "locked-in" syndrome, as well as providing important monitoring regarding prognosis.
ISSN:1086-508X
2375-8619
DOI:10.1080/1086508X.2003.11079421