Kenneth Glad
The incident has prompted discussion among medical experts about how such critical conditions can sometimes be misinterpreted.
A 50-year-old woman in India unexpectedly began breathing again while being transported home in an ambulance after doctors told her family she showed almost no signs of life.
Vineeta Shukla, from Uttar Pradesh, later recovered following treatment at another hospital, according to reporting by The Times of India. Neurologists say the incident likely reflects a severe medical condition that initially appeared fatal rather than a reversal of confirmed brain death.
Family had begun preparing for duneral
Shukla collapsed at home on Feb. 22 and was taken to a hospital in Bareilly. Her condition quickly worsened, and doctors told relatives that her chances of survival were extremely low.
Her husband, Kuldeep Kumar Shukla, decided to bring her home after being told there was little more doctors could do.
“I told my family to prepare for her last rites. She was not breathing, there was only a sinking heartbeat,” Kuldeep told The Times of India.
The ambulance left Bareilly on Feb. 24. During the trip, the vehicle hit a large pothole near the town of Hafizganj, shaking the vehicle sharply.
Kuldeep says he then noticed something change.
“My wife started breathing normally again,” he said. “I immediately informed my family to suspend all the funeral preparations.”
Instead of continuing home, the ambulance headed to another hospital.
Tests reveal severe neurological condition
Shukla was admitted to a hospital in Pilibhit, where doctors carried out neurological tests and began treatment.
A neurosurgeon who later examined her told the Indian newspaper that earlier medical assessments had suggested an extremely critical condition. Her Glasgow Coma Scale score had fallen to three — the lowest point on the 15-point scale doctors use to measure consciousness after brain injury.
Tests also detected significant levels of neurotoxins in her bloodstream and lymphatic system. Doctors began treatment, and her condition slowly improved over the following days.
After nearly two weeks of care, she was discharged from the hospital on March 9.
“She is now not just awake, but talking to us,” Kuldeep said.
Doctors say true brain death cannot reverse
Neurologists reviewing the case say recovery after confirmed brain death is not medically possible.
Dr. Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist at Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad, wrote on X that patients who later breathe independently or show neurological recovery could not have been brain dead.
“If a patient later begins breathing or shows neurological recovery, it means they were never brain dead to begin with,” he said, according to NDTV.
Click to display external content from twitter,
- You can always enable and disable third-party content.
You agree to display external third-party content. Personal data may be sent to the provider of the content and other third-party services.
Another neurologist, Dr. J.S. Deol, suggested pressure near the brainstem might have temporarily affected breathing. A sudden jolt could theoretically relieve that pressure.
Doctors say the explanation is uncertain. Shukla ultimately survived a medical crisis her family believed would be fatal.
Sources: The Times of India, NDTV
