Electrical stimulation of the right median nerve may hasten the awakening o
f closed head injured, comatose patients. A series of 25 comatose patients
have been treated. These patients made better recoveries than similar indiv
iduals reported in the literature. In a double-blind pilot project patients
in the treated group scored better on interval Glasgow Coma Scale scores,
spent fewer days in the intensive care unit, and showed better Glasgow Outc
ome Scores at 1 month post-injury. Peripheral electrical stimulation of the
right median nerve, through activation of the ascending reticular activati
ng system, may be sufficient to arouse the moderate to severely comatose pa
tient.