My mum (68) went into hospital for routine surgery and went into cardiac arrest due to difficult intubation. Her heart stopped beating for 10 minutes. They started CPR (and bagged her) immediately and she had a weak pulse throughout but machine was registering no heart beat. They think she has a hypoxic brain injury as they don’t think enough oxygen was being circulated due to heart and also the fact she had blood in her airways due to difficult intubation. Currently, they have no evidence of this via testing apart from clinical symptom I.E. every time they lower the Propofol she seems to have seizure like activity. My mum had involuntary movements throughout being sedated at times. The only thing that calmed them were midazolam and clonazepam instead. They think it’s a mixture of seizure like activity (as pupils still react to light during these jerks) and myoclonic jerks. Since the introduction of clonazepam - she has been still in sedation for the last week. Therefore, they have always said likely your mum has severe hypoxic brain injury.
This is Day 15 now or her being in an induced coma due to this issue re : Propofol reduction. She is also on two other anti seizure drugs. All test have come back negative.
Day 4 - Bloods (markers for Brain inury) - normal
Day 5 - CT - normal
Day 11 - MRI - normal
On day 13, mum was transferred to Walton. Walton said her MRI was so normal is warranted the risky transfer. The care here is amazing. They have had her on constant EEG monitoring and had her lightly sedated initally. This showed that my mum had seizures we couldn’t see whilst in sedation but also showed she had periods of normal brain activity in between. They said this was a positive. They have increased her sedation now to highest it has been and yesterday said this showed a dramatic reduction in seizures on the EEG. They may well give her brain a chance to rest and try being her round again or they may do a “very deep sedation” that reduces her brain function to minimal (sounded like a jump start) in the hope she comes back again without the seizures.
Otherwise her vitals are good and her pupils are reacting to light and she’s coughing herself even when highly sedated. She’s on about 35% oxy levels on ventilator
Anyone else experience something like this?
Thanks
Cat
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EdinCat83
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How distressing for you. The worst I suffered from intubation last week was a sore throat, so I can only imagine what a shock this has been for you and your family.
Not sure if anyone here can identify with your mum's issues, but I just want to say how her chances of improvement will have soared since her transfer to Walton. Please accept my heartfelt wishes for your mum's safe return and further progress... Do stay in touch.
I wish your Mum and family all the best. What a very stressful time. It does sound like she has improved and she is getting good care.
Talk to her a lot, even if you are sure. Hearing is often the first to come back. Reading aloud is good if you aren't naturally chatty. Voices of our Mum and relatives are the best.
Hi, I had a cardiac arrest due to massive haemorrhage following a uterine rupture when I was 19 weeks pregnant.
I was down for 17 minutes and have been left with a hypoxic brain injury, mainly affecting my speech and right handed motor skills.
This happened exactly a year ago and I’m now back at work full time (but trying to go part time) and I’m driving and pretty much leading a normal life. I realise I’ve got age on my side.
Keep talking - I can remember my husband singing to me!
The Walton Centre is amazing- I was treated at Aintree next door (where I currently work) but I used to work at Walton.
I think I was in a coma for 10-14 days. My CT showed no damage and I never had any seizures. They can’t do an MRI on me because I’ve got metal in my head from surgery to remove a brain tumour (done at Walton!)
I was in ICU for a month because I had to have a tracheostomy because I was fighting the ventilator.
My then 38 year old son had an out of hospital cardiac arrest & suffered a severe hypoxic injury due to at least 30 mins without oxygen. He was also intubated and in an induced coma for 11 days before his sedation was reduced & he woke up. As it was height of covid we initially weren’t allowed to visit so all information was via tel calls (horrendous position) so don’t know actual medication he was on in those early days. He remained in ICU for 3 weeks before being moved to respiratory ward (had a tracheostomy).
Our son’s severe hypoxic injury brain damage showed on initial CT scan then MRI areas that had been affected. The fact your mums didn’t show any damage must be encouraging. He didn’t respond to any pain and eyes didn’t track anything at all when tested in first couple of weeks. He didn’t have any seizures but limbs showed effects of injury contracted arms & legs. He started tracking people and speaking a few words about the 4th week. If your mum shows any evidence of contractures physios need to be attending to those with range of motion exercises & splints if necessary.
My advice is to keep asking questions to medical team - anything involving the brain is very complex, difficult to really assess extent of damage in the early period - I remember being desperate for answers which Drs couldn’t give.
As already suggested keep holding your mums hands, talking to her, play favourite music -this will help your mum and also yourself.
Thank you Nanapal. How is your son now? Hope his recovery went from strength to strength. Mum is getting physio every day which is good.
Yes all the tests were very encouraging but it seems as thought the downtime has created this seizure issue whilst most of the brain looks normal. It’s all a bit of a head scratcher. She’s now on thiopental. It’s a very potent drug which will send her to the deepest sedation mode and shut down almost all brain activity. The Hope is this with short circuit the seizures when mum wakes up. It’s such a long waiting game. It’s been 16 days of absolute emotion and stress and nobody has answers yet. Trying to keep the faith and hope. I speak to her every day.
Unfortunately our son hasn’t had the best of recovery and is now very disabled. Totally different having an out of hospital cardiac arrest as action to help is significantly delayed. Our son was strong enough to keep holding on and keeps on proving that every day - it will be 4 years in September when our world turned upside down.
Your mum seems to be doing really well and in a good hospital by the sounds. We weren’t so lucky with the hospital our son was taken to in our area - neglect in care so bad we have a legal case ongoing against the trust.
The emotion and stress of the situation is such a rollercoaster time and all consuming. Please make sure you look after yourself as much as you can along side your mum. Time is really what your mum needs at the moment, giving her brain & body a complete rest to reset itself. Then once ready I really hope your mum progresses to a very successful recovery.
Thank you Nanapal. Seems like you have a rollercoaster ride over the last four years. Your son sounds like a strong and brave man.
It’s such a rollercoaster isn’t it. Until mum wakes up, we don’t have any idea how bad of an injury she has. Whilst all scans clear, the seizures are not a good sign and so far have prevented a reduction in sedation. I just hope this new drug thiopental gives her brain the rest it needs to reset and restore balance. Difficult as not come across anyone yet who experienced seizures (with clear scans). Hard to know what to think. All I can do is keep the faith she is strong enough
Hi Cat, I suffered a “brain injury” due to different circumstances.I now take Clonazepam cuz of “panic attacks” and “anxiety”.Clonazepam is actually approved for seizures.It sounds like your mum is getting excellent care.Sending you and your mum love and light.God speed!
Thanks for your reply Furio. Yes mum is on Clonazepam. Unfortunately, nothing has worked yet in controlling her seizures. Therefore, thiopental has now been administered in a hope to restore brain electrical balance. Fingers crossed.
Hi EdinCat, I can’t help you with your questions but we are all here to help and support you on your journey with your mum. What I can say is I have been watching the tv programme I think it’s on Tuesdays and it is called I think A Chance At Life, or something like that, my memory is not good, sorry, but it is filmed at the Walton Centre, and they are amazing, so your mum is in the best place, I was treated at Salford and they saved my life, so I would never disrespect them too, but Walton is next level. Sending you and your mum lots of love and I always say never give up hope, keep coming back to let us know how your mums doing xx
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