Baby wakes from coma after father fought French doctors to keep on life support
- Marwa had been in an induced coma since September after having a virus
- Doctors wanted to switch her machine off but her family battled them
- A court order gave Marwa a 2 month extension of care from the device
- And she woke up just 10 days later, defying all medical expectations
Stephen Matthews For Mailonline
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Doctors were ready to flick Marwa’s life support machine off, until she opened her eyes to prove she was still alive.
The one-year-old had been in an induced coma since September after battling a virus.
Doctors wanted to switch her machine off after growing increasingly concerned that if she did wake up that she would have severe functioning problems.
However, her parents weren’t ready to give up and sought court action to keep her alive for as long as possible.
And after being given a two month extension, Marwa woke up to defy all expectations.
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Marwa had been in an induced coma since September after battling a virus. Doctors wanted to switch her machine off after growing increasingly concerned that if she would struggle to breathe, eat and walk
This footage, posted by her father on Facebook, shows the moment her eyes opened – proving doctors wrong.
Her parents, originally from Algeria, began a petition to challenge the doctors in court, reports the Daily Mirror.
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The ‘Not without my Marwa’ campaign collected more than 114,000 signatures.
Officials then ruled in favour of an ‘extension of care’ for an extra two months at La Timone hospital, Marseille.
After being given a two month extension, Marwa woke up to defy all expectations. Her mother has since clarified on Facebook that all of her organs work how they are meant to
But doctors argued that she would never breathe independently and that she would struggle to walk or eat for the rest of her life.
WHAT ARE MEDICALLY INDUCED COMAS?
Medically induced comas are designed to protect patients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries or viruses such as meningitis.
They help to reduce brain swelling which can be life-saving, but being in one for too long can affect neurological functions.
Time spent in an induced coma is dependent on the disease being treated, but rarely last longer than two weeks.
During, patients are given drugs to control their breathing, blood pressure and cardiac rhythm. They are also unable to respond on their own.
However, she woke up and her mother has since clarified on social that all of her organs work how they should.
Speaking to a local news website, her father said: ‘Her treatment continues, but we see progress every day and that gives us a lot of hope.
‘When I speak to her, she hears my voice, she reacts, sometimes even smiles.’
Medically induced comas are designed to protect the brain after traumatic brain injuries or ravaging viruses.
They need a type of drug that deactivates the brain, preventing them from being responding on their own.
Breathing and blood pressure are maintained through the use of medication.
The high pressure caused by the brain swelling can starve some areas of oxygen, but an induced coma can help to reduce the inflammation.
Because Marwa’s brain was not seen to be responding to the coma, doctors assumed she would have suffered neurological problems as a result.
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