Anne Heche is ‘not expected to survive’ anoxic brain injury. But what is it?

The actor is ‘not expected to survive’ after a car crash left her with a ‘severe anoxic brain injury’

Actor Anne Heche is “not expected to survive” a car crash that left her with a “severe anoxic brain injury”.

The 53-year-old was taken to hospital in Los Angeles last Friday (5 August) and the LAPD has confirmed that the incident is being investigated as a felony driving-under-the-influence (DUI) traffic collision.

In the accident, Heche’s vehicle struck a two-storey home and “erupted in heavy fire” according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. A resident was at home but in the back garden, so was uninjured.

A statement shared by Heche’s family on Friday 12 August read: “Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition. She is not expected to survive.

“It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable. Anne had a huge heart and touched everyone she met with her generous spirit.”

What is an anoxic brain injury?

According to brain injury association Headway, an anoxic brain injury occurs when oxygen supply to the brain is interrupted which can cause irreversible damage to the brain.

“Oxygen is needed for the brain to make use of glucose, its major energy source. If the oxygen supply is interrupted, consciousness will be lost within 15 seconds and damage to the brain begins to occur after about four minutes without oxygen,” a statement on its website reads.

It adds that a complete interruption of the supply or oxygen to the brain is referred to as “cerebral anoxia”, or an anoxic brain injury.

If there is still a partial supply of oxygen to the brain, but not enough to maintain normal brain function, this is called “cerebral hypoxia”, or a hypoxic brain injury.

How is an anoxic brain injury different from a traumatic brain injury?

An anoxic brain injury is when the brain lacks a supply of oxygen, causing it to lose function. A traumatic brain injury can happen when the head directly experiences trauma, such as from a car accident, assault, or a fall.

In a traumatic brain injury, the brain can often create alternative pathways to compensate for the damaged axons (which transmit messages between brain cells).

Because an anoxic brain injury is related to oxygen, it means the nerve cell bodies of the brain can be damaged and this damage is irreparable.

What are the main causes of an anoxic brain injury?

Anything that can stop oxygen supply to the brain can be a cause of an anoxic brain injury. These include:

• Cardiac arrest
• Choking
• Near drowning
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Drug overdose
• Severe asthma attack
• Low blood pressure resulting from blood loss or disturbed heart function
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Smoke inhalation

How can you treat an anoxic brain injury?

Headway said the diagnosis of an anoxic brain injury is usually immediately apparent when a patient arrives in hospital, and that all attempts will be made to restore a normal heartbeat, supply of oxygen to the brain, and blood pressure.

“Patients who have suffered a serious anoxic episode will usually be admitted to an intensive care unit and put on a ventilator, preferably in a specialist neurosciences centre. The patient may need drugs to maintain adequate blood pressure and normal heart beat,” it adds.

Can you survive an anoxic brain injury?

There are a number of factors that can contribute to the outcome of a patient with an anoxic brain injury. These include your age, how long the anoxic episode lasted, the duration of the coma, and pupil reaction.

It is possible to survive an anoxic brain injury, but the duration of the anoxic episode is the most important factor when it comes to whether someone will live or not.