Euthanasia Simulation

PART 2

The vegetative state is defined as the condition in which a patient cannot, at any time, manifest or regain consciousness due to the loss of function of the cerebral cortex caused by head trauma or the cessation of blood flow to the brain. In the vegetative state, the brain stem continues to work maintaining the body's involuntary functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and thermoregulation. Although often confused with brain death in which all functions of the brain have been lost, the vegetative state differs in that the brain stem continues to carry out vital functions.

According to the definition of the vegetative state by the Japan Neurosurgical Society, a patient is in a vegetative state if the following conditions have persisted for at least three months. The patient is incontinent, unable to move or eat without assistance, communicate or interact with his surroundings, and have a visual perception of things. No international medical criteria have been established for the diagnosis of the vegetative state due to various

interpretations concerning the patient's perception of things. The vegetative state is persistent in the vast majority of head trauma cases unless a patient regains consciousness within the first twelve months. This is also true where there was a cessation of blood flow to the brain. A persistent vegetative state will develop, in a majority of the cases, if a patient does not regain consciousness within the first three months.

There have been cases reported in which the condition of a patient was mitigated after careful observation of and speaking to the patient.