Alpha coma evolving into spindle coma in a case of acute fulminant hepatic failure: What does it signify?

Abstract

A 44-year-old male developed acute fulminant hepatic failure of unknown etiology and expired within four days. His serial electroencephalograms (EEGs) showed diffuse background slowing on day one, which evolved into "alpha coma" and later into "spindle coma" over the ensuing two days. Such EEG transition is hitherto undescribed in patients with hepatic encephalopathy and gives fresh insight into the etiopathogenesis of specific EEG patterns in diffuse encephalopathy.

Keywords

• Alpha coma
• electroencephalogram
• hepatic failure
• metabolic encephalopathy
• spindle coma