Bobbi Kristina Brown: Family Reportedly Wants Her Out Of Medically Induced Coma, Long-Term Life Support Considered

Bobbi Kristina Brown has been breathing with the help of a ventilator since Saturday, Jan. 31. Unfortunately, it does not appear that that will change anytime soon — if ever. According to Radar Online, new developments about her bleak condition have been released. Although the 21-year-old is still alive, chances of substantial recovery still remain grim. On Tuesday, Feb. 19 doctors reportedly performed a tracheotomy in order to open a direct airway to her trachea. A family source recently shared details about the procedure.

“The doctors removed her breathing tube Tuesday because there were complications with it. They had to then do a tracheotomy and put a tube in that way. She is still alive. Everyone is praying for her. She is young and she is strong. At the same time, everybody knows that she remains in a critical conditions [sic]. But there is no talk at this point about ‘pulling the plug.'”

According to 11 Alive, the family also wants to have her removed from the medically induced comatose state she’s been in since she was found face-down and unresponsive in a bathtub last month. It has been reported that long-term life support is also an alternative that the family is seriously considering. However, there are no details about the quality of life Bobbi Kristina will have under such conditions. Her current state and grim prognosis reportedly hasn’t changed.

The controversial decision for long-term life support has also raised concerns, which have been voiced by medical professionals. The effects of long-term life support could be extremely detrimental. The breathing tube could possibly lead to other infectious problems. There is also the risk that Bobbi Kristina may never speak again. A medical expert also spoke with Radar Online about the advantages and disadvantages of a breathing tube.

“The longer someone is on a breathing tube via their mouths, the risk for infections, breathing problems just increases significantly. The advantage of a tracheotomy is that it’s a direct airway into the trachea (windpipe). It’s a surgical procedure that is done in surgery, and definitely not performed in a patient’s room.”

Dr. Jordan Josephson, an ENT specialist at Lennox Hill Hospital, also weighed in with a fairly different perspective of the procedure. He cited that the procedure is relatively common in situations where a patient will be kept on a ventilator for “more than a couple days,” reports USA Today. He also explained how the pros and cons of the procedure vary from person to person.

“If the expectation is she’s going to be on for weeks, months — who knows how long, the best way to deliver oxygen to the lungs is through the tracheostomy [the hole left in the throat after the tracheotomy procedure is performed]. It’s a protective measure. There may be a slight scar, but in most cases that’s it… I’ve seen cases where you think the patient should come out of it and they don’t. And of course there are cases where you’re telling the family the patient may never come out of it and two days later they wake up.”

But, nevertheless, her father Bobby Brown refuses to give up. Only time will tell what will happen with Bobbi Kristina Brown.

[Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images]