RTMS safety for two subjects with disordered consciousness after traumatic brain injury.

Since our initial publication regarding provision of a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocol to a patient in the vegetative state (VS) [ 1 American Academy of Neurology Quality Standard S. Practice Parameters: assessment and management of patients in the persistent vegetative state. Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology in Neurology, 1995 May. Report no.: Contract no.: 5. Google Scholar , 2 American Congress of Rehabilitation MedicineRecommendations for use of uniform nomenclature pertinent to patients with severe alterations in consciousness. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1995; 76: 205-209 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (254) Google Scholar , 3 Jennett B. Plum F. Persistent vegetative state after brain-injury: a syndrome in search of a name. Lancet. 1972; 1: 734-737 Abstract PubMed Scopus (964) Google Scholar ] eight months after traumatic brain injury (TBI) [ [4] Pape T. Rosenow J. Lewis G. Ahmed G. Walker M. Guernon A. et al. Repetitive TMS-associated neurobehavioral gains during coma recovery. Brain Stimul. 2009; 2: 22-35 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (93) Google Scholar ], there remains limited rTMS safety data for this population. Therefore, we report safety data for two more patients who received this same rTMS protocol [ [4] Pape T. Rosenow J. Lewis G. Ahmed G. Walker M. Guernon A. et al. Repetitive TMS-associated neurobehavioral gains during coma recovery. Brain Stimul. 2009; 2: 22-35 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (93) Google Scholar ]. The study was conducted with an FDA investigational device exemption (IDE #G040195) and IRB-approved informed consent was obtained.