brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Minimally Conscious State
Prognosis for Minimally Conscious State
Most people in a minimally conscious state tend to improve continuously, but improvement is limited. A few people regain the ability to communicate and understand, sometimes after many years. However, very few recover enough to live and function independently. The longer a minimally conscious state lasts, the less function people are likely to regain. However, with skilled nursing care, people can live for years. Recovery may be better when the cause is a head injury. There have been reports of people awakening after spending years in what appears to be a coma. These reports often involve people who had been in a minimally conscious state after a head injury. 