Locked-In Syndrome: Case Report and Discussion of Decisional Capacity

Locked-in syndrome (LIS) is a rare neurologic disorder rendering an individual quadriplegic and anarthric with preserved self-awareness and normal if not near-normal cognition. A lesion to the ventral pons causes the classic form of LIS, and patients can typically interact with their environment with eye/eyelid movements. LIS patients may live for years with preserved quality of life (QoL) and cognitive function, but with severe disability. However, medical providers and family often underestimate the patient’s QoL, and choose less aggressive care.

Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management - December 7, 2015 Category: Palliative Care Authors: Samuel Maiser, Ashish Kabir, David Sabsevitz, Wendy Peltier Source Type: research