Patient L suffered severe brain damage following a third cardiac arrest in mid-July and relatives say it is too early to determine whether he is in a "permanent" vegetative state, arguing they have observed "some degree of responsiveness".

BBC: Manchester

By the time emergency crews arrived, she had suffered a cardiac arrest, prompting fears of brain damage.

BBC: Emily Watts

Patients who have undergone cardiac surgery are also at risk for damage to their voice since the nerves that control the larynx are located near the heart.

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The CT scans, like the cardiac catheterization, utilize IV dye and can potentially damage the kidneys as well.

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Da Vinci helps surgeons perform everything from cardiac bypasses through gastric bypasses with far more precision and less collateral damage than an unaided human.

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In 2002 two controlled human studies stunned intensive care specialists by finding that cooling the body temperature 7 degrees helped prevent brain damage in patients whose hearts had stopped and been restarted after cardiac arrest.

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