Vertical conjugate eye deviation in postresuscitation coma.
Vertical eye deviation in hypoxic coma is considered to be rare. In contrast, we found that in a consecutive series of 50 postresuscitation comatose patients, 28 (56.0%) developed tonic upward or downward eye deviation. We suggest that both the upward and the downward deviations resulted from diffuse cerebrocerebellar damage sparing the brainstem. Upward deviation is an early sign, whereas downward deviation appears later and generally implies a transition to the vegetative state.
Johkura
Ken
K
Department of Neurology, Hiratsuka Kyosai Hospital, Hiratsuka, Yokohama, Japan. jokura-k@kkr.hiratsuke.kanagawa.jp
Komiyama
Atsushi
A
Kuroiwa
Yoshiyuki
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003128:Coma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015835:Ocular Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012151:Resuscitation; D012189:Retrospective Studies