As a doctor, I personally have always believed that these patients should be able to wake up, they are definitely not brain dead, maybe it is just an axonal injury, maybe it is just a broken nerve fiber inside the brain stem. A good doctor is able to give a reasonable assessment based on the patient’s condition and speculate on the probability of awakening. He will neither encourage and guide the patient’s family to smash the pot to treat a brain dead patient, nor will he actively ask the patient’s family to give up on a patient whose brain function still exists. On the Internet and in outpatient clinics and wards, I am often consulted by family members of comatose patients whether a vegetative person can revive, so how exactly can we judge and assess whether a vegetative or long-term comatose patient can revive? Zhao Mingliang of the Department of Neurosurgery of the Affiliated Hospital of the Armed Police Logistics College The rich clinical knowledge and experience of doctors is only one aspect, and two other extremely important auxiliary examinations are needed: one is imaging (brain CT or MRI), and the other is electrophysiological examination (EEG or evoked potential), the former looks at the structure and the latter looks at the function. Let’s say a big tree is struck by lightning, a CT and MRI is like we see if the branches of the tree are intact, can we say the tree is completely healthy? The answer is no, we have to see if the internal structure of the tree is intact, whether it can transport water and nutrients from the roots to the branches and leaves, and electrophysiological testing can solve this problem. On the other hand, if a big tree is struck by lightning, and a CT and MRI suggest that the tree has broken and damaged branches, will the tree definitely die? Of course, we cannot be so pessimistic and arbitrary, because if we find through similar electrophysiological tests that the internal structure of the injured tree is still intact and can deliver water and nutrients to the branches and leaves, then after careful care and treatment, it is entirely possible for the damaged tree to come back to life. The damaged brain and the damaged tree are not exactly the same, but they do have similarities. In my treatment of comatose or traumatically diagnosed vegetative patients, I have found that as long as the patient has a good electrophysiological outcome, most patients can be reawakened, but of course for varying lengths of time. The process of waiting for the patient to wake up requires comprehensive treatment and careful care.