Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 9/27/2009

Question
Hi. Recently I have been interested in brain tumors and the effects of them and I was wondering if you could answer these questions for me (please keep in mind that I am 13 years old when answering my questions): N.B lets assume these comas are 1 month long:
1. When in a coma, is it possible for physical changes (e.g. weight loss) to take place?
2. Is it possible to come out of a coma with only mild memory loss (so you can still talk and walk etc.) and if so is it common?
3. Can being hit by a car that's going around 40km/h cause a coma?
4. What are the chances of being in a coma ( I live in South Africa)?
5.What brain tumors cause comas?

Thanks
P.S. how do I rate your response?

Answer
Hi Nella, nice to meet you! 1. Weight loss starts almost immediately. Muscles atrophy if not active. A comatose patient is not much active. When muscles atrophy their volume and mass are reduced so weight is lost. So they do! Also the bones are not under much weight stress when the patient is in a bed all the time. So bones will lose calcium and become weaker. There will also not be much stress for the cardiovascular system so the heart etc. will become weaker. Being in a bed all the time will increase the risk of blood circulation problems in the parts of the skin carrying the weight load of the body with increased risk of ulcers there.
2. If you are talking of comas in general it is possible, but not if you are talking of comas connected with brain tumors. There comas are a signal that death is near.
3. Probably if you are unlucky but this is outside my area of expertise here. I'm here ONLY as a tumor (cancer in fact) dr - I'm a medical oncologist & radiation therapist NOT a neurologist or a neurosurgeon. 4. No idea. I live in Stockholm, Sweden. Comas in general are also outside my area of expertise here (see above). 5. All brain tumors cause comas if big enough. Most malignant (cancerous) brain tumors have at present still a very bad prognosis. So they end up causing comas & then death. I do hope I have been able to explain this! With regards to rates. That is entirely up to you. You should rate my answer according to what my answer is worth (to you). Please remember too that rates are the only form of payment and feed back I can get here.