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Biomedical subjects

A Ohry

Publications and source records attributed to A Ohry.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Spinal cord injuries caused by aviation accidents].

During the past 15 years fewer than 1% of those treated in the National Spinal Cord Injury Center were injured as a result of aviation accidents. In addition to 9 such patients treated at the center since 1973, another 6 were found among the many hundreds receiving ambulatory care in our clinics. 3 patients had survived a helicopter crash, 2 were injured while ejecting from combat aircraft, 3 were injured in crashes of light aircraft, 1 fell from a hand glider and 6 were injured in parachute drops. Of the 15 reviewed, 6 use wheelchairs, 3 walk assisted by orthopedic devices, while 6 ambulate freely. Although initial hospitalization was not substantially longer than in other patients with spinal cord injuries, extended ambulatory psychological intervention was necessary.

Accidents, Aviation

Long term follow up of spinal cord injury caused by penetrating missiles.

Eighty-four spinal cord injured patients (SCIP) injured as a result of penetrating missiles were categorised according to: neurological level of injury, age at time of injury, circumstances of injury, missile type, initial treatment, duration of injury, and ethnic background. Evaluations and comparisons were made concerning: life habits, family status, education, employment, and mental well being. A discussion of complicating factors, both physical and psychological, and their relation to the final rehabilitation result is presented.

Adult

Long term follow up of patients with cauda equina syndrome due to intraspinal lipoma.

We have had the opportunity to treat and follow up two young males with cauda equina syndromes after recurrent resection of intraspinal lipomas. This condition is relatively rare. The patients underwent myelographies, operations, long periods of hospitalisation, and rehabilitation. The syndromes included low back pain, arachnoiditis, and recurrence of the lipoma after several years and multiple operations. These are the problems that we were faced with: (1) Although the tumor is benign it is impossible to resect it completely. (2) There are complications which interfere with rehabilitation, including pain, arachnoiditis, and neurological deterioration. (3) Long term prognosis might be grave and the patient and family should know this. (4) Physiotherapy and sports: should these patients perform strenuous exercise or not?

Adult

Functional recovery in young stroke patients.

Thirty young stroke patients were retrospectively assessed for levels of activities of daily living and of basic functional movements. Scores upon admission, discharge, and follow-up were compared in order to evaluate course of rehabilitation and functional outcome. Mean length of stay in the rehabilitation ward was 87 +/- 17 days, and duration of follow-up was 31 +/- 8 months. Multivariate analysis of covariance confirmed significant improvements during hospitalization, in transfer, standing, sitting and walking abilities (F = 3.5, p less than 0.02), as well as in activities of daily living (F = 4.7, p less than 0.01). Further improvement during the follow-up period was observed for standing and walking abilities (F = 10.2, p less than 0.001) only. No fatalities occurred among the patients during the study period. Eighty-one percent of the patients resumed their previous or other jobs six months after discharge. We conclude that for young stroke patients admitted to a rehabilitation ward shortly after the event, prognosis in terms of survival and functional outcome is favorable, and independent of precipitating factor, age, sex, or side of weakness.

Activities of Daily Living

[Injury proneness: the physiatric and psychiatric view points].

Proneness to injury is a natural inclination with many causes: psychological, physical, physiological and social. We describe 9 patients with this problem. Most injuries, usually the result of falls, occur in 3 populations: young sports persons, workmen, and the elderly or those with chronic disorders. By analyzing the cases we can identify those prone to accidents and injury so as to improve prevention.

Accident Prevention

Pulse volume recording disturbances in paraplegic patients.

Spinal cord injuries may modify vascular reactivity in the denervated region. This study presents an original observation of altered vascular response in paraplegic patients. A group of 30 consecutive paraplegic otherwise normal individuals underwent a thorough vascular examination. There were 29 male and 1 female patient, 21 to 67 years old (average 41), all with traumatic spinal cord injury. Average time since injury was 17 years. All had good peripheral pulses and normal segmental Doppler pressure measurements. In 8 patients, plethysmography--pulse volume recording (PVR) was normal as expected. In 22 patients an unusual feature of the vascular examination was recorded, consisting of normal peripheral arterial pressures with PVR waveforms indicating poor pulsatility. This group was older than the group with normal studies: ages 44 +/- 13 vs 34 +/- 8 years (p = 0.05), and more time had elapsed since injury-20 +/- 12 vs 10 +/- 4 years (p = 0.015). The altered pulsatility demonstrated in most of those paraplegic patients may play a role in deficient wound healing frequently observed below the level of spinal neurological loss.

Adult

Shoulder complications as a cause of delay in rehabilitation of spinal cord injured patients. (Case reports and review of the literature).

We describe ten patients with spinal cord disease or injury who developed upper extremity and shoulder complications during rehabilitation. These shoulder complications caused delay in rehabilitation. We discuss the aetiology, treatment and management of shoulder complications in spinal patients and in patients with other neurological diseases.

Adult