Increased Alertness in Comatose Patient After Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: A Case Report

Abstract

There are very few reports regarding the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting for a comatose patient. This case report presents an instance where OMT was implemented after the patient remained comatose for 18 days and was being considered for terminal weaning due to their prolonged unconsciousness. The patient’s prolonged comatose state caused concerns about irreversible neurological damage, and as such, end-of-life decisions were being considered. OMT was administered in an effort to stimulate the patient’s alertness and reduce the patient’s allostatic load. The patient regained consciousness within ten hours after OMT was administered, suggesting a potentially significant role for OMT in the patient’s recovery. This case underscores the potential for OMT to be used in the ICU as a safe and feasible approach to enhance patient outcomes. Although only a single example of effective treatment, the results of this case study suggest that further research into the role of OMT in comatose patient recovery and OMT’s broader implications in critical care are warranted.