“No Patient wakes up, after 27 years, just out of the coma”

As Munira Abdulla saw the car zoom by, she closed protective arms around her four-year-old son Omar. So he told it years later, the Arab daily newspaper “The National”. Omar stayed with the clash in Abu Dhabi in the year 1991, almost unharmed. His mother, however, suffered a severe skull-brain Trauma. The brain of the then 32-Year-old was so badly damaged that the Doctors assumed that she will never Wake up.

The patient was drifting off into a state, the Doctors minimal consciousness. She opened her eyes and was able to look on the face of your son, other interactions, however, were not possible. Also you could not speak. A specialist after the other, treated the woman, including in Abu Dhabi and the UK. But only in a clinic in the Bavarian town of Bad Aibling, you came in the summer of 2018, 27 years after the accident. Her son is now as old as you at that time. Over the years he has taken care of intensively by his mother and a long distance on to visit you.

The story of Munira, Abdulla worldwide has caused quite a stir. In an Interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, the doctor Friedemann Müller explains why the case is spectacular.

MIRROR ONLINE: The case of Munira Abdulla has enormous attention. The “image” was the headline: “mother wakes up, after 27 years in a coma” and speaks of a “medical miracle”. Justify the evaluation?

Friedemann Müller: Actually, the case is medically complex. Finally, the patient was in a state of minimal consciousness, we might call this Form as “coma”. That is, you could look specifically at something, especially in the face of her son, she reacted strongly. For members of the clinical picture is indistinguishable from a coma, in which patients show no awareness. But the difference is there, and in a simplified way, so to explain: The “coma” does not, patients may open their eyes, in a coma. Out of a coma a Patient wakes up after 27 years.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Is it so wrong to say that the woman had awakened?

Müller: If you think that the patient, such as after a long sleep and suddenly wakes up like every Morning, then Yes. Aptly, the following description would be: The physical and mental condition of the patient has improved over the period of a few weeks is enormous. You can now interact consciously with their environment inter and again on family life.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What have you done differently than the Doctors previously?

Müller: We had a holistic approach. The patient suffered from spasms, so strong muscle contractions. This we initially brought under control, so that the patient could develop a better Feeling for your body. In addition, we have changed the medication for the epilepsy, so that fewer adverse effects. Through physiotherapy, we were able to mobilize the woman in addition, so that you could leave in a wheelchair in the hospital room and thus with other Charms was confronted, for example, birdsong.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: when did the crucial breakthrough?

Müller: This is a slow process. The son noticed an improvement before we could find during the Visit. It is often so that members see progress being made as the first, because they often spend more time with patients, get to know you better and your voice is familiar. Eventually, she was able to open the mouth, when we asked them. Also, you could pronounce the name of your son, to welcome us and she quoted some verses from the Koran.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Is the case unique?

Müller: The case is very unusual, but not unique. Another well-known Patient, Terry Wallis, from West Virginia, the talk after 20 years in coma again began to. However, such cases are very rare.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: does your therapy hope for other patients?

Müller: The case raises, of course, hope. Therefore, the son of the patient has decided to go Public. We now need to find out what kind of people we can help with our findings. I would advise members to remain in contact with the patient. To speak with them, exposing them to new Stimuli, to mobilize them and to observe them carefully. A guarantee of improvement, there is not, however, particularly brain damage due to oxygen deficiency rarely show improvements.

In the Video: coma patient Back after five years of twilight state