A physician has expressed a concerning hypothesis regarding Emily Willis, a former adult film star, who is currently hospitalized and reportedly can only move her eyes.
The 25-year-old, who was in good health, fell into a coma after an unexpected cardiac arrest earlier this year.
In February, Emily Willis experienced a ‘vegetative coma’ and remained in that state until May. Since then, reports indicate she has been unable to move, with the exception of eye movement.
Dr. Gareth Nye, who leads the Medical Science Program at the University of Chester in the UK, has commented on her situation, suggesting it might be related to ‘locked-in syndrome’.
He explained to the Daily Star: “What we are seeing here is the damage to the brain following a lack of oxygen after the cardiac arrest.”
He finds it hopeful that she appears conscious, recognizes people, and can track with her eyes, but suspects she is likely experiencing a condition known as locked-in syndrome.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, this is a ‘rare and serious neurological disorder that happens when a part of your brainstem is damaged, usually from a stroke’.
Individuals with this disorder can suffer from complete body paralysis, yet remain conscious with normal cognitive abilities.
Those afflicted by locked-in syndrome are unable to chew, swallow, speak, or display facial expressions, and cannot move anything below the eyes. However, most individuals with LiS can move their eyes both vertically and horizontally and are capable of blinking, hearing, and understanding their surroundings.
Dr. Nye has given an update on Willis’ situation, despite not being her caregiver. He shared a somber theory with the newspaper, stating that the adult film star ‘may never breathe independently again’.
He mentioned: “The longer a patient remains in an immobile or vegetative state, the harder it is for that patient to come back to their previous level of health.”
He expressed concern about the degradation and loss of muscle mass, noting there are studies indicating that individuals in ICU or in a coma-like state lose about two percent of their muscle mass daily.
“This significantly affects future mobility, but more importantly, it impacts the muscles essential for breathing.”
“If they deteriorate enough, it may become nearly impossible for patients to wean off ventilators and breathe on their own.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support Willis, who started her career in the adult film industry in 2017 and participated in over 700 productions. Further details can be found on the fundraising page.