KIM Jong-un is in a vegetative state following a botched heart operation, South Korean outlets are reporting.
But what is a vegetative state and is it possible for the dictator to recover?
What is a vegetative state?
A vegetative state is when someone is awake but is showing no signs of awareness.
A person in a vegetative state may be able to:
- open their eyes
- wake up and fall asleep at regular intervals
- have basic reflexes (such as blinking when they’re startled by a loud noise or withdrawing their hand when it’s squeezed hard)
- able to regulate their heartbeat and breathing without assistance
However, someone in a vegetative state doesn’t show any meaningful responses. For example they won’t be able to follow an object with their eyes or respond to voices.
They also show no signs emotions.
If a person is in a vegetative state for over fours weeks they are considered to be in a continuing vegetative state.
If it’s been more than six months and caused by a non-traumatic brain injury, or more than 12 months if caused by a traumatic brain injury it is considered a permanent vegetative state.
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Is recovery possible?
If a person is diagnosed as being in a permanent vegetative state, recovery is extremely unlikely but not impossible.
Recovery depends on the type of brain injury the patient has endured, their age, how long they have been in the state for and how severe their injury is.
A non-traumatic brain injury may be the result of an illness within the body.
A traumatic injury is usually the result of a violent attack, a fall, a gunshot wound or even a bomb blast.
People in a permanent vegetative state are extremely unlikely to recover from a brain injury, although it is not impossible.
On July 30, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled a man with an extensive brain injury should be allowed to die without his family going before a judge.
How many people in the UK are affected?
Around 4,000 to 16,000 Brit NHS patients are in a permanent vegetative state.
Thousands more are said to be minimally conscious.
A continuing vegetative state is when when the person has only been unable to respond for longer than four weeks.
