coma dépassé

Coma dépassé, a term coined in 1958 by French neurologists, describes a state beyond typical coma. It signifies a "frontier state" between life and death, characterized by severe, irremediable brain lesions.1

Individuals in this state are deeply comatose, unable to react to stimuli or breathe spontaneously. They lose control over their internal environment, including body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. They also cannot retain water, leading to excessive urination. The organism as a whole has ceased to function.1

This condition was considered a precursor to brain death, where artificial ventilation was maintained until the heartbeat stopped. Later, the concept of "brain death" emerged, defined by the irreversible loss of brain-stem function, which is now widely accepted as the definition of death.1