J Trauma
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The neurologic outcome of comatose patients has a wide variation from complete reawakening to death. Methods of predicting the outcome of coma caused by either head injury or cardiac arrest have been the subject of much discussion in the literature. However, prediction of neurologic prognosis in comatose trauma patients without head injury has rarely been discussed. We reviewed our experience in treating patients with presumptive hypoxic-ischemic coma after trauma and tried to identify factors relating to their neurologic outcomes. ⋯ Hypoxic-ischemic coma in patients sustaining major trauma yielded a significantly better survival and neurologic outcome than that induced by cardiac arrest or head injury. Decision-making in the first 24 hours after injury should not be affected by the patient's neurologic status at that time. A motor response worse than withdrawal at 24 hours after injury and an absence of pupillary light reflex at 48 hours after injury predicted a poor neurologic outcome.