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SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
Published on: February 6, 2021
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Acute loss of consciousness
Bekinschtein Tristán1, Ezequiel Gleichgerrcht2, Facundo Manes3
1Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Handbook of Clinical Neurology
|February 23, 2015
Summary
Acute loss of consciousness requires advanced assessment. New techniques beyond coma scales are vital for predicting outcomes in patients with altered consciousness after brain injury.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Neurology
- Trauma Care
Background:
- Acute loss of consciousness (LOC) presents complex theoretical and clinical challenges.
- Understanding disorders of consciousness (DoC) post-brain injury is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a framework for investigating altered states of consciousness.
- To explore techniques for predicting clinical outcomes in acute LOC.
- To examine post-traumatic amnesia as a predictor of cognitive sequels.
Main Methods:
- Review of theoretical models for acute LOC.
- Analysis of clinical techniques for outcome prediction in DoC.
- Investigation of post-traumatic amnesia in cognitive sequel prediction.
Main Results:
- A framework for studying altered consciousness is presented.
- Current techniques for predicting outcomes in acute brain injury are explored.
- Post-traumatic amnesia is identified as a predictive model for cognitive deficits.
Conclusions:
- Clinicians need to integrate novel assessment methods beyond traditional coma scales.
- Enhanced evaluation is necessary for patients experiencing acute LOC.
- Improved diagnostic tools can lead to better patient outcomes in critical care settings.
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