抄録
Developements in diagnostic procedures, microsurgical techniques and intensive cares have lowered mortality in cerebro-vascular diseases, head trauma and other emergencies. However, this decreased mortality has given rise to a new social and medical problem which is an increase in the number of patients who live on with severe residual neurological deficits. During the treatment for spastic hemiparesis by dorsal column stimulation, we incidentally found that it improved EEG with some improvement in communication ability of the patients. This prompted to use neurostimulation for cases of vegetative status(V. S). So far, we have treated12cases of V. S by this procedures. We could get improved EEG in all cases, and good clinical improvement in three cases. These cases, at the same time showed the increased r-CBF, and the enhancement of catecholamine metabolism. The purpose of this paper is to report the potential usefulness of neurostimulation in cases of vegetative status.
