Many patients who die after traumatic brain injury may have survived and recovered if their families had waited to take them in. take off life supporta new study found.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and other universities analyzed “potential clinical outcomes” for patients with: traumatic brain injury They were removed from life support (TBI), according to a press release.
The study included 1,392 patients treated at 18 trauma centers across the United States over a seven-and-a-half year period.
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The researchers used a mathematical model to compare patients taken off life support to similar patients kept on life support.
Of the group whose life support was not withdrawn, more than 40% regained at least some independence, according to a press release.
Many patients who die after traumatic brain injury may have survived and recovered if their families had waited to take them off life support, a new study has found. (St. Petersburg)
The researchers also found that the idea of remaining in a vegetative state six months after injury was an “unlikely outcome.”
When planning the study, the research team didn’t know what to expect, said study author Elena Bodien, Ph.D., of the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery in the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital.
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“In our anecdotal experience, some families have been told that their loved one has no chance of recovery and will never walk, talk, work, or have a meaningful relationship again. Despite this, they chose not to discontinue life support and their loved one recovered. remarkable recovery” she told FOX News Digital.
“On the other hand, clinicians are under tremendous pressure to make early prognosis decisions, and because they don’t want to force someone to live a life that is never acceptable to them, they should The patients who died had otherwise very significant disabilities.”
“In our anecdotal experience, some families have been told that their loved one has no chance of recovery…yet they choose not to discontinue life support, and their loved one makes a remarkable recovery.” ,” the researchers said. (St. Petersburg)
“I think there are two stories here,” Bodien said.
“One is that some TBI patients who die because life support is removed may have recovered, but the other is that even if life support had been continued, That means many patients would have died.”
She noted that the prognosis for patients after severe traumatic brain injury is highly uncertain. “Sometimes the most severely traumatized patients survive, meaningful recovery. ”
“Families can advocate for a delay in the decision to withdraw life support if it is consistent with their loved one’s wishes.”
The problem is that health care providers lack the tools they need to determine which seriously injured patients will recover, how well they will recover, and how long it will take them to recover, Bodien said. said.
‘Very important’ research
Dr. Mark Siegel, Clinical Professor, School of Medicine New York University Langone Medical Center The Fox News medical contributor, who was not involved in the study, called it a “very important” study.
“Previous research has shown that there is a high level of recovery from mild traumatic brain injuries and a significant rate of recovery from moderate to severe injuries,” Siegel told Fox News Digital. Ta.
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“The brain can swell after a head injury, and this can lead to the use of mannitol, steroids, and even surgery to remove the top of the skull, which can be used to relieve pressure on the brain. “It can increase your chances of a full recovery.”
Rehabilitation is also important, Siegel added.
“All of these tools should have a chance to work most of the time.”
Researchers say health care providers lack the tools they need to determine which seriously injured patients will recover, how well they will recover, and how long it will take. (St. Petersburg)
Based on the study results, Dr. Bodien recommended that clinicians be “very cautious” in making “irreversible decisions” such as removing life support within a few days. traumatic brain injury.
“Families should also know our results so they can advocate for a delay in the decision to withdraw life support if it is consistent with what their loved one wants.” she added.
Research limitations
Bodien said the study had some limitations.
“The study’s small sample size made it difficult to find an adequate number of participants who were not on life support and who were clinically similar, or ‘matched,’ to participants whose life support was withdrawn. ,” she told Fox. News Digital.
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Of the participants whose life support was not withdrawn, researchers were unable to follow all of them for six months.
Another limitation is that the researchers used clinical variables that were available on the day of admission or the day after admission, although in some cases the decision to withdraw life support could be made several days later. .
Based on the findings, study author Elena Bodien (not pictured) said clinicians should be “very cautious” in making “irreversible decisions” such as removing life support for several days after a traumatic brain injury. recommended that it should be done. (St. Petersburg)
“There are many considerations that can lead to the decision to withdraw life support after a traumatic brain injury, but we were unable to factor them into our analysis,” she continued.
“For example, personal beliefs, Religion and advanced instructions All can influence decision making but were not captured in our study. ”
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Bodien also said the Harvard study focused on traumatic brain injuries and cannot be generalized to other injuries or diseases.
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