Long-term consequences
The long-term consequences of an artificial coma in the context of pneumonia are difficult to predict. Termination of the artificial coma can lead to various, mostly temporary symptoms for the affected persons. These include: Dizziness, memory gaps and perception disorders.
It can also lead to the occurrence of delirium, colloquially known as “continuity syndrome”. This is characterized by sleep disorders, circulatory problems, hallucinations and forgetfulness. Most of the time, these are side effects that can be cured in the course of time or by certain drugs.
The long-term consequences usually result from the underlying disease, or the circumstances that led to the use of an artificial coma. In the case of pneumonia requiring an artificial coma, it can be assumed that the lung has almost lost its function. The use of lung function devices such as ECMO can take over lung function for some time by enriching the blood with oxygen outside the body using a special device and then transporting it back into the body’s circulation.
In the long term, however, if lung function is completely lost, it may become necessary to perform a lung transplant to ensure that the body is once again supplied with oxygen, as the lung replacement procedure can also be associated with complications or additional strain on the body in the long term. The symptoms of pneumonia are not always restricted to the lungs, but can also cause other serious symptoms due to the spread of bacteria in the bloodstream.
