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Rehabilitation Outcomes Following Infections Causing Spinal Cord Myelopathy
Spinal Cord (2014) 52, 444–448 & 2014 International Spinal Cord Society All rights reserved 1362-4393/14 www.nature.com/sc ORIGINAL ARTICLE Rehabilitation outcomes following infections causing spinal cord myelopathy PW New1,2 and I Astrakhantseva1 Study design: Retrospective, open-cohort, consecutive case series. Objective: To describe the demographic characteristics, clinical features and outcomes in patients undergoing initial in-patient rehabilitation after an infectious cause of spinal cord myelopathy. Setting: Spinal Rehabilitation Unit, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Admissions between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2010. Methods: The following data were recorded: aetiology of spinal cord infection, risk factors, rehabilitation length of stay (LOS), level of injury (paraplegia vs tetraplegia), complications related to spinal cord damage and discharge destination. The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) and functional independence measure (FIM) were assessed at admission and at discharge. Results: Fifty-one patients were admitted (men ¼ 32, 62.7%) with a median age of 65 years (interquartile range (IQR) 52–72, range 22–89). On admission, 37 (73%) had paraplegic level of injury and most patients (n ¼ 46, 90%) had an incomplete grade of spinal damage. Infections were most commonly bacterial (n ¼ 47, 92%); the other causes were viral (n ¼ 3, 6%) and tuberculosis (n ¼ 1, 2%). The median LOS was 106 days (IQR 65–135). The most common complications were pain (n ¼ 47, 92%), urinary tract infection (n ¼ 27, 53%), spasticity (n ¼ 25, 49%) and pressure ulcer during acute hospital admission (n ¼ 19, 37%). By the time of discharge from rehabilitation, patients typically showed a significant change in their AIS grade of spinal damage (Po0.001). -
Brucellar Spondylodiscitis with Rapidly Progressive Spinal Epidural Abscess Showing Cauda Equina Syndrome
Citation: Spinal Cord Series and Cases (2016) 2, 15030; doi:10.1038/scsandc.2015.30 © 2016 International Spinal Cord Society All rights reserved 2058-6124/16 www.nature.com/scsandc CASE REPORT Brucellar spondylodiscitis with rapidly progressive spinal epidural abscess showing cauda equina syndrome Tan Hu1,2,JiWu1,2, Chao Zheng1 and Di Wu1 Early diagnosis of Brucellosis is often difficult in the patient with only single non-specific symptom because of its rarity. We report a patient with Brucellar spondylodiscitis, in which the low back pain was the only symptom and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed not radiographic features about infection at initial stage. He was misdiagnosed as a lumbar disc herniation for inappropriate treatment in a long time. The delay in diagnosis and correct treatment led to rapid progression of the disease and severe complications. The patient was treated successfully with triple-antibiotic and surgical intervention in the end. Brucellar spondylodiscitis should always be suspended in the differential diagnosis specially when the patient comes from an endemic area or has consumed dairy products from animals in such an area and comprehensive examination should be done for the patent to rule out some important diseases like Brucellosis with sufficient reasons. Spinal Cord Series and Cases (2016) 2, 15030; doi:10.1038/scsandc.2015.30; published online 7 January 2016 Brucellosis is caused by small, non-motile, Gram-negative, aerobic post meridiem and intermittent left lower limb numbness for the and facultative intracellular coccobacilli of the genus Brucella recent weeks. One week before admission, the patient returned transmitted from infected animals to humans either by to the local clinic because his symptoms worsen. -
Paraplegia Caused by Infectious Agents; Etiology, Diagnosis and Management
Chapter 1 Paraplegia Caused by Infectious Agents; Etiology, Diagnosis and Management Farhad Abbasi and Soolmaz Korooni Fardkhani Additional information is available at the end of the chapter http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/56989 1. Introduction Paraplegia or paralysis of lower extremities is caused mainly by disorders of the spinal cord and the cauda equina. They are classified as traumatic and non traumatic. Traumatic paraple‐ gia occurs mostly as a result of traffic accidents and falls caused by lateral bending, dislocation, rotation, axial loading, and hyperflexion or hyperextension of the cord. Non-traumatic paraplegia has multiple causes such as cancer, infection, intervertebral disc disease, vertebral injury and spinal cord vascular disease [1, 2]. Although the incidence of spinal cord injury is low, the consequences of this disabling condition are extremely significant for the individual, family and community [3]. A spinal cord injury not only causes paralysis, but also has long- term impact on physical, psychosocial, sexual and mental health. The consequences of spinal cord injury require that health care professionals begin thinking about primary prevention. Efforts are often focused on care and cure, but evidence-based prevention should have a greater role. Primary prevention efforts can offer significant cost benefits, and efforts to change behavior and improve safety can and should be emphasized. Primary prevention can be applied to various etiologies of injury, including motor vehicle crashes, sports injuries, and prevention of sequelae of infectious diseases and prompt and correct diagnosis and treatment of infections involving spinal cord and vertebrae [4]. Infections are important causes of paraplegia. Several infections with different mechanisms can lead to paraplegia. -
Guidelines for the Use of Rectal Irrigation
CV 412N professional:Layout 1 03/03/2009 10:57 Page 1 Guidelines for the use of Rectal Irrigation (Healthcare Professionals) CV 412N professional:Layout 1 03/03/2009 10:57 Page 2 CV 412N professional:Layout 1 03/03/2009 10:57 Page 3 Preface Dear Colleague It is always a little daunting introducing a new procedure into your clinical practice. There are always questions and some uncertainties. For this reason the bowel continence team at St Mark's Hospital have decided to share their guidelines on rectal irrigation with others. There is too much re-inventing of wheels in today's health service. We are not claiming that this is the last word on irrigation: there is always room for flexibility and adaptation. With experience, our practice may well change and develop over years to come. But for now, this is our clinical practice, which we are happy for you to use and adapt. Feedback or comments would be most welcome. Christine Norton. Burdett Professor of Gastrointestinal Nursing St Marks Hospital, London March 2009 SUPPORTED BY © St Mark's Hospital Continence Service 2009 CV 412N professional:Layout 1 03/03/2009 10:57 Page 4 Background Faecal incontinence is a common health problem, affecting over 1% of community-dwelling adults (1;2). Chronic constipation may affect 3-5% of the population depending on the definition used (3). Most patients will respond to lifestyle modifications (such as dietary modifications), medication (constipating or laxatives as appropriate) and behavioural methods such as pelvic floor muscle training or biofeedback (3;4). But for the minority who do not respond, symptoms may impose severe ongoing restrictions on quality of life. -
Spinal Epidural Abscess
The new england journal of medicine review article CURRENT CONCEPTS Spinal Epidural Abscess Rabih O. Darouiche, M.D. From the Infectious Disease Section, the espite advances in medical knowledge, imaging techniques, and Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medi- surgical interventions, spinal epidural abscess remains a challenging prob- cal Center, and the Center for Prostheses Infection, Baylor College of Medicine, Dlem that often eludes diagnosis and receives suboptimal treatment. The inci- Houston. Address reprint requests to Dr. dence of this disease — two decades ago diagnosed in approximately 1 of 20,000 Darouiche at the Center for Prostheses hospital admissions1 — has doubled in the past two decades, owing to an aging popu- Infection, Baylor College of Medicine, 1333 Moursund Ave., Suite A221, Houston, TX lation, increasing use of spinal instrumentation and vascular access, and the spread 77030, or at [email protected]. of injection-drug use.2-5 Still, spinal epidural abscess remains rare: the medical literature contains only 24 reported series of at least 20 cases each.1-24 This review N Engl J Med 2006;355:2012-20. Copyright © 2006 Massachusetts Medical Society. addresses the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, common diag- nostic and therapeutic pitfalls, and outcome of bacterial spinal epidural abscess. PATHOGENESIS Most patients with spinal epidural abscess have one or more predisposing condi- tions, such as an underlying disease (diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, or infection with human immunodeficiency virus), -