Maternal Vegetative State During Pregnancy: The authors reply

I read with interest the case report "Management of Maternal Vegetative State During Pregnancy" by Hill and associates that was published in the July 1985 issue of the Proceedings (pages 469 through 472). In view of this patient's obvious encephalopathy, why was general anesthesia used to perform the cesarean section? Does such a patient with extensive cortical destruction actually feel much (or any) pain? If not, what is the rationale for administering an anesthetic agent? I am sure that the members of the obstetric and anesthesia teams addressed this issue. Perhaps the patient could have had some reflex reactivity, but it would seemingly be minor. In addition, whatever anesthetic agents were used would, to some degree, reach the fetal circulation and cause depressive effects.