Firas Kaddouh, MD, MHS, Med-Ed: Assistant Professor of Neurology; Director, Neurosciences ICU, Banner University Medical Center
Monday, June 24, 2024,
2:30pm -3:30 pm,
ASA Koffler Great Room and Zoom
“Coma”: It’s the ancient Greek word for a deep sleep, but we know it is not just a naturally deep sleep. It bears connotations of injury or other external cause and is sometimes medically induced. When in a coma, we can’t be in communication with the conscious world. Dr. Firas Kaddouh has studied coma in the context of end-of-life care, and comes to share his insights with us. He will define coma, explaining how it differs from other types of diminished consciousness; the causes of coma—reversible and irreversible; and how comas are diagnosed. In light of this background, he will discuss how doctors may communicate uncertainty when explaining to a patient’s loved ones the prognosis for a comatose person and, when necessary, the transition to end-of-life care measures that align with the patient’s values and wishes.
Dr. Kaddouh is a critical care neurologist with expertise in neurological emergencies, neurotrauma, severe brain injuries and disorders of consciousness (DOC). He graduated from Damascus University School of Medicine in 2008 and has since completed residency training in both internal medicine and neurology at Canton (Ohio) Medical Education Foundation (CMEF) and at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. These were followed by a fellowship in neurocritical care and emergency neurology at Yale School of Medicine where he also obtained a master’s degree in medical education and served on the faculty. Professor Kaddouh’s talk continues the ASA series of lectures on end-of-life issues.
Compiled and Edited by Suzanne Ferguson, Academy Village Volunteer
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