[A case of primary brain-stem injury recovered from persistent vegetative state after L-dopa administration]

A 51-year-old male was transferred to our hospital just after traffic accident. On admission, the patient was comatose (Glasgow Coma Scale of 6) and showed a left hemiparesis with a left oculomotor nerve palsy. Computed tomography demonstrated a traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage without mass lesion. Magnetic resonance imaging showed high intensity lesions on the left dorsolateral midbrain and the right cerebral peduncle. The distribution of lesions implied diffuse axonal injury involving dopaminergic systems such as the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area. After several months of conservative management, the patient showed no recovery and was diagnosed as persistent vegetable state. The administration of L-dopa was then started and the patient showed remarkable neurological improvement. Therefore the patient's neurological status was thought to be modified with primary brain stem injury and accompanying traumatic Parkinson's syndrome. It is important to understand "pseudo" persistent vegetative state in the management of patients showing prolonged consciousness disturbance. L-dopa should be considered as the drugs of pharmacological intervention for the patients of masked parkinsonism behind "pseudo" persistent vegetative state whose dopaminergic systems might have been damaged.