What is locked syndrome?
Locked-in syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by almost complete paralysis of the body that leaves the patient's brain fully intact and active. Basically, the patient is locked inside his own body with limited communication capabilities. The chances of recovering from the locked syndrome are very slim, with most treatments focusing on palliative care to maintain the patient comfortable and facilitate communication. The lesions on the stroke are a common cause, as well as trauma, stroke or disease. Because the brain stem controls muscle movements and a number of instinctive movements such as breathing and heart rhythm, the locked syndrome does not prevent the patient from moving, but it also threatens his life. For example, the patient cannot swallow independently and may be disrupted by breathing and heart rate along with the function of other organs.
Most patients with locked syndrome are able to move the muscles around the eyes. That led the peopleAlso for the development of communication systems based on the movement of the eye muscles. This type of communication is usually based on flickering in response to YES or NO questions, or the announcement of the words flashing with the help of an assistant who reads the letters of the alphabet. Because the upper brain is intact, some scientists have also suggested that the development of technology that could connect directly to the brain could be beneficial for patients who have this condition because they could allow them to communicate less cumbersome.
In patients in this condition, life can be very frustrating. Patients who introduced communication with their families and medical teams testified of their experiences and described the feeling of imprisonment inside the wall, well or tunnel with the inability to get out. The patient can hear, see and interpret the stimuli as well as someone in the normal physical condition, but he or she can only react with his eyes.
The prognosis for someone with locked syndrome is not good. Most patients never get up and tend toexperience complications related to damage to their brain stems, which eventually lead to death. Sometimes muscle massage or stimulation can help a patient with a locked syndrome. Supporting care, including feed pipes and catheters, is usually necessary to ensure that the patient receives the nutrition he needs and is able to safely evacuate waste.
This condition has appeared in some novels, movies and television shows. One remarkable patient in a locked state, Jean-Dominique Bauba, wrote a book entitled The Diving Bell and The Butterfly about his experience.