neurologic disorders
Locked In Syndrome
Prognosis for Locked In Syndrome
Prognosis for patients with locked-in syndrome depends on the cause and the subsequent level of support provided. For example, locked-in syndrome due to transient ischemia or a small stroke in the vertebrobasilar artery distribution may resolve completely. When the cause (eg, Guillain-Barré syndrome) is partly reversible, recovery can occur over months but is seldom complete. Favorable prognostic features include Early recovery of lateral eye movements Early recovery of evoked potentials in response to magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex Irreversible or progressive disorders (eg, cancers that involve the posterior fossa and the pons) are usually fatal. 