Man in vegetative state regains some consciousness after new treatment

A man in Fuzhou, East China's Fujian province has regained a certain degree of consciousness after being in a vegetative state for about three months, Fuzhou Evening News reported on Wednesday.

Doctors at a local hospital treated the 33-year-old with a therapy that involves a chronicle electrode implant near his neck and a pacemaker in his chest.

The man, surnamed Huang, was given electricity stimulation 12 hours every day for two months. His father reported he had an improved ability to talk, walk and respond to simple instructions and conversations following the treatment, according to a report by the local newspaper.

The father of three was injured late last year while working on the third floor of a building's balcony to install windows and fell off.

According to Fuzhou Air Force Hospital, where Huang was treated, 21 vegetative-state patients have responded to this therapy since its neurological department adopted it, accounting for about two-thirds of the total tested, it said.

Doctors from the hospital noted that the therapy might not work effectively on all patients with brain damage. It best applies to those who have been in a vegetative state from three to 12 months and boast a partly functioning brain.

While Huang's improvement has brought great joy to his family, his doctors remain cautious about a full recovery, the report showed.

He still requires a daily treatment of the electric stimulation. Once his condition is stable, the electrodes can be surgically removed. The batteries of his pacemaker can last for about five years.

Huang Chen in Beijing contributed to the story.