Effect of Multimodal Stimulation Along with Music Therapy After Traumatic Head Injury: A Case Study

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disease that causes varying degrees of consciousness impairment. Some severe TBI survivors recover, while others remain in states of severely impaired consciousness, such as coma or vegetative state. Individuals in a coma are oblivious to their surroundings and have no response to external stimuli. They have the option to recover or progress to verbal stimulation or Multimodal Coma Stimulation. Among various techniques, multimodal sensory stimulation (SS) is a minimally invasive, secure, affordable, and simple rehabilitative strategy that has been extensively researched in individuals with awareness disorders. Research in music therapy in comatose patients has been limited due to the lack of behavioral measures that are sensitive to the complex needs of this population. Hence, we aim to study the impact of multimodal stimulation with music therapy to improve coma and vegetative state after traumatic head injury. Case description: A 45-year-old male was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury with GCS score of 4 And RASS -4 was in coma on ventilator support. It was diagnosed as traumatic brain injury. Intervention: Patient was in Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit (NSICU) and on conservative treatment before the start of multimodal stimulation (MS) consisting of sensory stimulation, music therapy and auditory stimulation was given. Baseline measurement of Glasgow coma score and Richmond agitation sedation score was taken before and after the therapy. Conclusion: Multimodal stimulation along with music therapy seems to be an effective tool for the comatose and vegetative state patients after traumatic brain injury.