Stevenson, V. L., Playford, E. Diane, Langdon, D. W. and Thompson, A. J. (1996) Rehabilitation of incomplete spinal cord pathology : facts affecting prognosis and outcome. Journal of Neurology, 243 (9). pp. 644-647. ISSN 0340-5354.

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Abstract

To determine the factors affecting the outcome of patients with incomplete spinal cord lesions, a retrospective study was performed of all such patients (n = 49) admitted to the neurorehabilitation unit of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, over a 2-year period. Disability on admission and discharge as measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), change in disability, presence or absence of neurological recovery, patient age, level of the lesion and length of inpatient stay were the main outcome measures. Data were complete on 39 patients. There were 20 patients with cervical myelopathy, 15 with intrinsic cord abnormalities including syrinxes, 7 with spinal cord infarcts and 7 with other conditions such as tropical spastic paraparesis and hereditary paraparesis. Age ranged from 17 to 88 years (mean 53). Mean duration of stay was 40 days and the duration was related to the diagnosis. Nineteen of the patients made some neurological improvement, while all but one improved on the FIM. This functional gain did not correlate with the patients' age, initial disability or level of the lesion, but was related to the length of stay in the unit, and neurological improvement. We conclude that the needs of patients with progressive incomplete spinal cord lesions due to neurological disease differ from those of patients with acute traumatic spinal cord lesions and are best managed in a neurological rehabilitation unit. Efficacy appears to be related to neurological recovery and the duration of rehabilitation. This study underlines the value of combined neurological and rehabilitation expertise in the management of this patient group and the need to incorporate both disciplines in planning service provision.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Social Science & Systems in Health (SSSH) Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Neurology
Publisher:	Springer Medizin
ISSN:	0340-5354
Official Date:	1996
Dates:	Date Event 1996 Published
Volume:	243
Number:	9
Page Range:	pp. 644-647
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access

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