Anestéziológia a intenzívna medicína 2/2014

Current opinion on chronic disorders of consciousness

Opinions on long term consequences of an acute brain damage has been continuously changing in the history of medicine in regard of definitions, terminology, diagnostics, outcome and patient management. The result is a wide spectrum of definitions and terminology used, which are becoming very confusing. The authors present an contemporary terminology approach to chronic consequences of brain damage, their classification and diagnostic criteria with an attempt to unify the definitions.

Keywords: disorders of consciousness, coma, vegetative state, minimally conscious state.