TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A patient in southern Taiwan woke up from a coma that lasted nearly a year after several months of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy.
The 29-year-old Tainan native suffered severe head trauma in a car accident last year. By the time he arrived at the hospital, he had lost all vital signs and although he was successfully revived, he fell into a prolonged coma.
His family did not give up hope and tried various treatment methods, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, rehabilitation therapy, and traditional Chinese medicine treatment. He was then transferred to Tainan Municipal Annan Hospital for TMS treatment, which is commonly used to treat depression but has also shown promise for treating neurological disorders including traumatic brain injury.
It is a non-invasive treatment that involves stimulating nerve cells in the patient’s brain using magnetic coils. First developed in 1985, the therapy has since been applied to a variety of mental health and brain disorders.
Zhang Junhong, Director of the Psychiatry Department of Tainan Municipal Annan Hospital, said that TMS treatment is a non-invasive treatment method. It stimulates the cranial nerves without surgery to achieve a therapeutic effect, and is mainly used to treat depression, especially for patients with limited efficacy or unacceptable side effects of drugs.
Still, Chang said, research suggests that TMS also has potential therapeutic benefits for neurological disorders such as brain injuries. More clinical studies are needed in the future to further explore this pattern.
patients before and after treatment. (Tainan Municipal Annan Hospital)
According to Zhang, the doctor tried various treatment methods on the patient for nearly a year, but his Glasgow Coma Scale score was only 8 points, while the highest score was 15 points, which means the patient was fully awake. His family continued to search for a solution, scouring the Internet for the latest research. After discussing the condition with the medical team of Annan Hospital, the patient’s family members decided to combine TMS treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, rehabilitation therapy, traditional Chinese medicine treatment and other treatment methods.
After about five months of the new treatment, the patient’s condition improved significantly, consciousness gradually recovered and he began to respond to his family’s voices, Zhang said.
Now the patient can not only open his eyes, but also smile, which is very encouraging to his family and medical staff. As this indicated a high likelihood of recovery, his family chose to continue treatment with the technique.
Zhang reminded the public that before using TMS for medical treatment, it must be carefully evaluated by the medical team and fully discussed with family members. After this experience of helping patients wake up, Mr. Chang expressed the hope that this new treatment technology will benefit more suitable patients in the future.
