How long can someone with brainstem hemorrhage and hemiplegia survive?

Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 03, 2024
00:00
00:00

Patients with brainstem hemorrhage presenting with hemiplegia have varying life expectancies, which depend on their primary diseases. In cases of severe brainstem hemorrhage, extensive bleeding typically causes significant damage to brainstem functions. Patients often remain in a prolonged comatose state, which can even threaten their lives. However, if the brainstem hemorrhage is minor and accompanied by mild limb hemiplegia, it generally does not pose a significant threat to the patient's life. It is crucial to administer medication treatment promptly after the hemorrhage and to start early rehabilitation exercises for the affected limbs. If patients persistently continue these exercises, they often achieve good treatment outcomes and can enjoy a long-term, high-quality life.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
48sec home-news-image

Can brainstem hemorrhage be operated on?

The brainstem is the center of human life, controlling vital functions such as breathing, circulation, heart rate, and blood pressure. Once bleeding occurs, patients often experience unstable vital signs, deep coma, and can die from brain function failure within a short period. Previously, it was believed that the brainstem was a no-go zone for surgery, and treatment for brainstem hemorrhage was primarily conservative medical therapy. However, with the continuous improvement of medical technology, neurosurgery departments in many top-tier hospitals have made significant achievements in minimally invasive or open surgeries for brainstem hemorrhages. Therefore, surgery for brainstem hemorrhage is not impossible and can be considered under specific circumstances.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
49sec home-news-image

How long can someone with brainstem hemorrhage and hemiplegia survive?

Patients with brainstem hemorrhage presenting with hemiplegia have varying life expectancies, which depend on their primary diseases. In cases of severe brainstem hemorrhage, extensive bleeding typically causes significant damage to brainstem functions. Patients often remain in a prolonged comatose state, which can even threaten their lives. However, if the brainstem hemorrhage is minor and accompanied by mild limb hemiplegia, it generally does not pose a significant threat to the patient's life. It is crucial to administer medication treatment promptly after the hemorrhage and to start early rehabilitation exercises for the affected limbs. If patients persistently continue these exercises, they often achieve good treatment outcomes and can enjoy a long-term, high-quality life.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
54sec home-news-image

How long do you have to stay in the ICU for a brainstem hemorrhage?

The length of stay in the ICU for brainstem hemorrhage depends entirely on the patient's specific condition. Generally, as long as the patient's breathing is stable and they can breathe on their own, and all other vital signs are relatively stable, they can be transferred out of the ICU. However, this depends on the patient's condition at the time. Many patients are admitted to the ICU typically due to poor breathing and lack of autonomous respiration. If a ventilator is used and the results improve, they may then be transferred out. Some may be out in a week, while others may need one to two months. It is also crucial to determine whether they have developed ventilator-associated pneumonia, lower limb venous thrombosis, or other more severe clinical manifestations, so decisions should be made based on these conditions for accuracy.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jiang Fang Shuai
Neurosurgery
49sec home-news-image

Can brainstem hemorrhage be cured?

Brainstem hemorrhage is a very dangerous disease with poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Although the brainstem is very small, it contains almost all vital neurological functions. Once hemorrhage occurs, it can cause severe neurological dysfunction, and even lead to the patient's death due to cessation of heartbeat and breathing in a short period. So, can brainstem hemorrhage be cured? It mainly depends on the location of the hemorrhage, the amount of bleeding, and the clinical symptoms. Patients with less bleeding, hemorrhages closer to the upper end of the brainstem, and milder clinical symptoms have a better chance of recovery. However, those with more extensive bleeding, hemorrhages closer to the lower end of the brainstem, and more severe clinical symptoms have a lesser likelihood of recovery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Yu Fei
Neurosurgery
38sec home-news-image

What does it mean to perform a tracheotomy on a patient with brainstem hemorrhage?

In general, tracheostomy for brainstem hemorrhage refers to situations where the patient suffers from a degree of consciousness impairment, presenting in a state of stupor or coma, and it is anticipated that the patient's consciousness will not regain clarity in the short term. In such cases, we generally recommend performing a tracheostomy on the patient as soon as possible. Early tracheostomy can help smoothly suction deep phlegm and better protect lung function. Timely use of oxygen nebulization helps dilute the phlegm and promotes its expulsion, which is beneficial in preventing and treating pneumonia.