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Evaluation

Clinical Session Proposals

Central Nervous System

Session Name: Concurrent Sessions

Reducing barriers to detecting consciousness: Comparing approaches across disorders of consciousness programs

Saturday, November 18, 2023
9:15 AM – 10:30 AM CT
Location: CC 206-207
In-Person On Demand

    Session Director(s)

  • Ryan P. Stork, MD

    Assistant Professor
    McGovern Medical School University of Texas-Houston/TIRR Memorial Hermann
    Houston, Texas

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

    • Faculty(s)

  • Sangeeta P. Driver, MD, MPH

    Section Chief, Brain Injury Medicine
    Shirley Ryan Abilitylab, Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
    Chicago, Illinois

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

  • Abana F. Azariah, MD

    Attending
    UT TIRR Memorial Hermann
    Houston, Texas

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

  • Michael H. Marino, MD

    Responsiveness Program Director
    MossRehab Physical Medicine Associates
    ELKINS PARK, Pennsylvania

    Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Session Description: It has been documented that misdiagnosis of patients in a disorder of consciousness state occurs at a high rate - with some estimates approaching 40%. Disorders of consciousness programs are unique inpatient rehabilitation programs with several rehabilitation goals, one of which is accurately determining the level of consciousness of patients admitted to the rehabilitation program. It is important to investigate and minimize any medical barriers that might prevent the detection of consciousness in this population.

This session aims to inform the audience of common medical barriers that may prevent the detection of consciousness or contribute to the inconsistencies with detecting consciousness. Additionally, the session will compare approaches from three different disorders of consciousness programs. Specifically, this session will explore the medical barriers of seizures, hydrocephalus, and neuromuscular complications in greater detail.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize clinical conditions that warrant further workup for seizures in the disorders of consciousness population
  • Discuss the therapeutic challenge of hydrocephalus in persistent disorders of consciousness and identify criteria for therapeutic intervention
  • Identify examples of neuromuscular complications in the disorders of consciousness population that may impact detection of consciousness
  • Recall differences between disorder of consciousness programs in approaches to reducing barriers to the detection of consciousness