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Introduction The main objective of this prospective study was to assess the incidence of chronic pain and long-term respiratory disability in a single-center cohort of severe blunt chest trauma patients. Methods Over a 10-month period, all consecutive blunt chest trauma patients admitted in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were screened to participate in a 3-month and 12-month follow-up. The following variables were prospectively assessed: persistence of chronic chest pain requiring regular used of analgesics, neuropathic pain, respiratory disability, physical and mental health status. Univariate and multivariable analysis were conducted to assess variables associated with chronic chest pain, neuropathic chest pain and respiratory disability. Results During the study period, 65 patients were included in the study. Chronic chest pain and respiratory disability were reported in 62% and 57% of patients respectively at 3 months postinjury. Neuropathic pain was reported in 22% of patients, associated with higher impairment of quality of life. A thoracic trauma severity score ≥12 and a pain score ≥4 at SICU discharge were the only variables significantly associated with the occurrence of neuropathic pain at 3 months (OR = 7 [2-32], p = 0.01 and OR = 16 [4-70], p < 0.0001). Conclusion According to the current study, chronic pain and long-term respiratory disability are very common after severe blunt chest trauma patients. Special attention should be paid to neuropathic pain, frequently under-diagnosed and responsible for significant impairment of quality of life., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to characterize through knee and transfemoral amputations following severe traumatic injuries., Methods: A retrospective review of all transfemoral and through knee amputations sustained by United States military service members from 1 October 2001 to 30 July 2011 was conducted. Data from the Department of Defense Trauma Registry, the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application, inpatient medical records and the Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Offices were queried in order to obtain characteristics related to injury sustained, demographics, treatment, and disability/mental health outcome data., Results: A total of 1631 amputations in 1315 patients were identified. Of these there were 37 through knee and 296 were transfemoral amputations. Adequate records for detailed analysis were available on 140 and 25 transfemoral and through knee amputations respectively. There were no significant differences in demographic information, injury mechanism, initial injury severity score, or associated injuries, to include contralateral amputations. There was no significant difference in average disability rating (67.9% vs 78.3%, p = 0.46) or number of service members determined to be fully disabled (42.2% vs 28.6% p = 0.33) between the transfemoral and through knee amputation groups. Whereas there was no difference between groups preoperatively, the knee disarticulation group displayed a higher rate of mental health diagnoses post-amputation (96% vs 72%, p < 0.001) and a higher preponderance of anxiety related disorders than the transfemoral amputees (26.92% vs 12.96%, p = 0.0129)., Discussion/conclusion: Among this military amputee through knee and transfemoral amputees displayed similar physical disability profiles. However, the through knee amputees displayed a higher level of anxiety related disorders and mental health diagnosis overall. While we don't believe this relationship to be causal in nature, this finding reflects the importance of paying particular attention to mental health in the final disposition of traumatic lower extremity amputees., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: Since the onset of the Global War on Terror close to 50,000 United States service members have been injured in combat, many of these injuries would have previously been fatal. Among these injuries, open acetabular fractures are at an increased number due to the high percentage of penetrating injuries such as high velocity gunshot wounds and blast injuries. These injuries lead to a greater degree of contamination, and more severe associated injuries. There is a significantly smaller proportion of the classic blunt trauma mechanism typically seen in civilian trauma., Methods: We performed a retrospective review of the Department of Defense Trauma Registry into which all US combat-injured patients are enrolled, as well as reviewed local patient medical records, and radiologic studies from March 2003 to April 2012. Eighty seven (87) acetabular fractures were identified with 32 classified as open fractures. Information regarding mechanism of injury, fracture pattern, transfusion requirements, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and presence of lower extremity amputations was analyzed., Results: The mechanism of injury was an explosive device in 59% (n=19) of patients with an open acetabular fracture; the remaining 40% (n=13) were secondary to ballistic injury. In contrast, in the closed acetabular fracture cohort 38% (21/55) of fractures were due to explosive devices, and all remaining (n=34) were secondary to blunt trauma such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or aircraft crashes. Patients with open acetabular fractures required a median of 17units of PRBC within the first 24h after injury. The mean ISS was 32 in the open group compared with 22 in the closed group (p=0.003). In the open fracture group nine patients (28%) sustained bilateral lower extremity amputations, and 10 patients (31%) ultimately underwent a hip disarticulation or hemi-pelvectomy as their final amputation level., Discussion: Open acetabular fractures represent a significant challenge in the management of combat-related injuries. High ISS and massive transfusion requirements are common in these injuries. This is one of the largest series reported of open acetabular fractures. Open acetabular fractures require immediate damage control surgery and resuscitation as well as prolonged rehabilitation due to their severity. The dramatic number of open acetabular fractures (37%) in this review highlights the challenge in treatment of combat related acetabular fractures., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

C7-T1 brachial plexus palsies result in a loss of finger motion and hand function. The authors have observed that finger flexion motion can be recovered after a brachialis motor branch transfer. However, finger flexion strength after this procedure merely corresponds to Medical Research Council Grades M2-M3, lowering the grip strength and practical value of the reconstructed hand. Therefore, they used 2 donor nerves and accomplished double nerve transfers for stronger finger flexion. In a patient with a C7-T1 brachial plexus injury, they transferred the pronator teres branch to the anterior interosseous nerve and the brachialis motor branch to the flexor digitorum superficialis branch for reinnervation of full finger flexors. Additionally, the supinator motor branch was transferred for finger extension, and the brachioradialis muscle was used for thumb opposition recovery. Through this new strategy, the patient could successfully accomplish grasping and pinching motions. Moreover, compared with previous cases, the patient in the present case achieved stronger finger flexion and grip strength, suggesting practical improvements to the reconstructed hand.

Posttraumatic headaches usually have tension-type or migraine-like characteristics. A correlation between head trauma and cluster headaches (CH) has been previously reported. CH in children are rare and require thorough differential diagnosis. We present an original case of a 15-year-old boy with cluster headaches associated with allodynia probably evoked by a neck trauma. Severe headache attacks started one month after neck trauma. At the beginning clinical presentation of our patient's headaches was very misleading. Headaches were bilateral and associated with infection. Initial diagnosis of sinusitis was made. During further observation headaches have become unilateral with typical for CH associated symptoms and additionally with allodynia. Other causes of secondary CH like cervicogenic headaches, brain tumor and vascular malformation have been excluded. The boy has undergone prophylactic treatment based on flunarizine and gabapentin with good result. Possible pathogenesis of our patient's headaches has been proposed and diagnostic traps discussed., (Copyright © 2017 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine person, injury, and treatment characteristics associated with recovery trajectories of people with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) during inpatient rehabilitation., Design: Observational prospective longitudinal study., Setting: TBI rehabilitation units., Participants: Adults (N=206) with severe nonpenetrating TBI admitted directly to inpatient rehabilitation from acute care. Participants were excluded for prior disability and intentional etiology of injury., Interventions: Naturally occurring treatments delivered within comprehensive multidisciplinary teams were recorded daily in 15-minute units provided to patients and family members, separately., Main Outcome Measures: Motor and cognitive FIM were measured on admission, discharge, and every 2 weeks in between and were analyzed with individual growth curve methodology., Results: Inpatient recovery was best modeled with linear, cubic, and quadratic components: relatively steep recovery was followed by deceleration of improvement, which attenuated prior to discharge. Slower recovery was associated with older age, longer coma, and interruptions to rehabilitation. Patients admitted at lower functional levels received more treatment, and more treatment was associated with slower recovery, presumably because treatment was allocated according to need. Therefore, effects of treatment on outcome could not be disentangled from effects of case mix factors., Conclusions: FIM gain during inpatient recovery from severe TBI is not a linear process. In observational studies, the specific effects of treatment on rehabilitation outcomes are difficult to separate from case mix factors that are associated with both outcome and allocation of treatment., (Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness and tolerance of rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses in the visual rehabilitation of children postocular trauma., Methods: In this retrospective case series, children below 15 years of age with ocular trauma were included. The best-corrected visual acuity with RGP contact lenses was compared with that of spectacle correction. The factors affecting visual improvement were analyzed, and problems caused by contact lens use were identified., Results: Twelve eyes of 12 boys were included. The mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.81 ± 0.29 (LogMar equivalent) with spectacles and 0.47 ± 0.27 (LogMar equivalent) with contact lenses (P < 0.001). Seven of the 12 eyes achieved a >2 line increase in visual acuity with contact lens correction as compared with that using spectacle correction. The mean astigmatism in eyes that achieved this improvement in vision was 5.45 ± 1.6 diopters, whereas the mean astigmatism in the eyes that did not improve was 2.6 ± 1.2 diopters, which was statistically significant (P = 0.009). No other factors (age, corneal scar location/density, grade/zone of injury, lens status, and occlusion) seemed to affect visual improvement with contact lenses. The mean follow-up duration was about 15 months during which 91% of the patients continued their contact lens usage., Conclusions: RGP contact lenses offer a useful refractive treatment alternative in traumatized eyes of children. Eyes with high degrees of astigmatism were found to benefit the most. RGP contact lenses were found to be well tolerated in this population.

The article describes the results of conservative treatment of 78 patients with injuries of ocular adnexa (isolated fractures of orbital walls as well as cicatrical deformities of orbits and eyelids). Ophthalmological assessment was made both in the early and the late periods following blunt trauma. All patients underwent a standard assessment of functional ability of the eye and, additionally, an orbital computed tomography scan to characterize the fractures. In all cases physiotherapy (endonasal electrophoresis with proteolytic enzymes) was carried out to resolve the orbital hemorrhage. Binocular vision evaluation was done to control the effectiveness of the treatment. For that, the extent of diplopia in the central field and the total area of peripheral double vision were measured and the vertical edges of the diplopia zone were defined.

Objectives: The orthopaedic trauma-related blood product usage is largely unknown. Aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of early (<24 hours of arrival) blood component use in major orthopaedic trauma., Design: 12-month prospective observational study., Setting: John Hunter Hospital, Level 1 Trauma Center, New South Wales, Australia., Patients: 64 consecutive trauma admissions identified, who had an orthopaedic injury and required at least 1 unit of packed red blood cells (PRBC) <24 hours of arrival., Intervention: Epidemiological study., Main Outcome Measures: Demographics, orthopaedic injury type, procedure type, injury severity score, timing, place of first unit of transfusion, and blood component volumes were collected. Activation of the massive transfusion protocol was recorded. Primary outcome measures were intensive care unit admission and mortality., Results: From 965 major trauma admissions, 64 had one or more orthopaedic injuries and were transfused <24 hours. Forty-eight percent (31/64) required massive transfusion protocol activation. Average age was 41 ± 21 years, 73% (47/64) men. Eighty-four percent (54/64) required emergent orthopaedic intervention, 41% (22/54) having multiple procedures. Overall mortality was 13% (8/64). Twenty-five percent (16/64) required ≥10 units of PRBC. Average PRBC use was 7.2 ± 6.6 units and fresh frozen plasma use 4.3 ± 5.2 units. Thirty-nine percent (25/64) had a pelvic ring injury or acetabular fracture. Thirty-seven percent (24/64) had at least one femoral shaft fracture. Twenty patients had a total of 23 tibia fractures., Conclusions: Orthopaedic trauma patients consume the majority of the blood products <24 hours among blunt trauma patients. This resource-intensive group requires frequent urgent surgical interventions and intensive care unit admission., Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Thoracolumbar fractures are common injuries after blunt trauma and are accompanied with significant morbidity, including neurologic deficit. Parallel to the evolution of initial management during the past few years, efforts have been concentrated on determining clear indications for surgical treatment, as there is no agreement over superiority of conservative or operative treatment. Various classification systems have been used for identifying those injuries requiring surgical intervention. Moreover, novel trends in surgical techniques, including minimal invasive surgery, implants and rehabilitation protocols have provided new, promising aspects regarding the treatment and outcomes of thoracolumbar fractures. The present review focuses on these recent advances., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Epidural analgesia for blunt thoracic injury has been demonstrated to be beneficial for pulmonary function, analgesia, and subjective pain; however the optimal patient selection and timing of thoracic epidural placement have not been well studied. We hypothesised that early (<48h) epidural analgesia (EA) as compared with usual care involving oral and intravenous narcotics delivered by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in patients with blunt thoracic trauma (>3 ribs fractured) is associated with fewer pulmonary complications and lower resource utilisation as measured by ICU and hospital length of stay., Methods: This is a retrospective review of all non-intubated patients suffering from blunt thoracic injury with 3 or more rib fractures requiring hospital admission for >24h over a recent 5-year period. Pulmonary complications were defined as pneumonia, empyema, hypoxia, and need for delayed intubation. Logistic regression was utilised to analyse patient and injury characteristics associated with pulmonary complications., Results: 187 patients were included in the analysis; early thoracic epidural was utilised in 18% (n=34). There was no difference in age, ISS, ICU length of stay (LOS), or pulmonary complications between patients who received an epidural (EPI) compared with those who did not (NO EPI). A significantly increased incidence of pulmonary complications was noted in patients who required tube thoracostomy (p=0.017)., Conclusion: In our experience, insertion of a thoracic epidural catheter early post-injury failed to reduce the incidence of pulmonary complications, ICU and hospital LOS. However, since pulmonary complications are more frequent in patients requiring tube thoracostomy, the cost-effectiveness of epidural analgesia in these patients warrants further investigation., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We report a rare case of double disinsertion of inferior and medial rectus muscles of the left eye. After injury, the patient presented ocular ascension. The eye's position made the clinical examination difficult. The patient underwent two surgical treatments to find and reattach the deficient muscles. In spite of a laborious search, we obtained a good anatomic result. Oculomotor disorders require orthoptic training. To avoid diagnostic errors and to reduce oculomotor after effects, vigilance is required during examination., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

A perilymphatic fistula (PLF) is an abnormal communication between the inner and middle ear resulting in vestibular or cochlear symptoms. We review three pediatric traumatic temporal bone fractures with pneumolabyrinth, confirmed radiologically by the presence of air within the cochlea (pneumocochlea) or vestibule (pneumovestibule). Patients were treated conservatively with complete resolution of vestibulopathy. Hearing outcome was variable and worse in two patients with pneumocochlea. A pneumolabyrinth on radiologic imaging confirms a PLF and obviates the need for exploration to reach a diagnosis. We suggest exploration be reserved for patients with persisting cerebrospinal fluid leakage, progressive sensorineural hearing loss, or vestibular symptomatology., (Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc., Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objective: To compare Stack, dorsal, and custom splinting techniques in people with acute type 1a or b mallet finger., Design: Multi-center randomized controlled trial., Setting: Outpatient hand therapy clinics (2 public hospitals and 1 private clinic)., Participants: Patients (N=64) with acute type 1a or b mallet finger., Interventions: Prefabricated Stack splint (control), dorsal padded aluminum splint, or custom-made thermoplastic thimble splint. All were worn for 8 weeks continuously, with a 4 week graduated withdrawal and exercise program., Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was extensor lag at 12 and 20 weeks. Secondary outcomes were incidence of treatment failure, complications, range of motion of the distal interphalangeal joint, pain (visual analog scale) patient compliance, and patient satisfaction., Results: There was no difference in the primary outcome between groups at 12 or 20 weeks; however, the Stack and dorsal splints had significant rates of treatment failure (23.8% in both groups, compared to none in the thermoplastic group; P=.04). There was a medium negative correlation between patient compliance and degree of extensor lag. No significant differences between groups were observed for patient satisfaction or pain., Conclusions: As splints for mallet finger must be worn continuously for 6 to 8 weeks, and compliance correlates with favorable outcomes, treating practitioners must ensure the splint provided is robust enough for daily living requirements and does not cause complications, which are intolerable to the patient. In this study, no extensor lag difference was found between the 3 splint types, but custom-made thermoplastic splints were significantly less likely to result in treatment failure., (Copyright © 2011 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To describe activity limitations in tortured refugees referred for rehabilitation, particularly the impact of neuropathic pain resulting from falanga (beatings under the feet)., Methods: Physiotherapists assessed 103 consecutively referred torture victims with a long history of sequelae, among them pain and mobility problems. All had been subjected to various forms of physical and psychological torture and 71 victims had also suffered falanga. Main outcome measures used were: the Disability Rating Index (DRI; 12 items) to assess self-reported capacity to carry out daily activities; for falanga victims, a specific foot assessment of sensory function in the feet., Results: All patients perceived clear activity limitations according to the DRI. The falanga victims' feet were categorised according to the type of foot pain: stimulus-independent pain; stimulus-evoked pain; no pain. The two groups with foot pain displayed sensory dysfunction and suffered more extensive activity limitations. After correction for confounding factors, these two groups reported significantly more activity limitations in 7 out of 12 DRI items than those who were not exposed to falanga., Conclusion: In this group of victims who had chronic pain for at least 5 years after torture, all perceived activity limitations, but pain from falanga had a greater overall impact on disability assessed in terms of daily activities., (© 2011 Informa UK, Ltd.)

Background and Objective: Calcaneous tendon is one of the most damaged tendons, and its healing may last from weeks to months to be completed. In the search after speeding tendon repair, low intensity laser therapy has shown favorable effect. To assess the effect of low intensity laser therapy on the process of tissue repair in calcaneous tendon after undergoing a partial lesion., Study Design/materials and Methods: Experimentally controlled randomized single blind study. Sixty male rats were used randomly and were assigned to five groups containing 12 animals each one; 42 out of 60 underwent lesion caused by dropping a 186 g weight over their Achilles tendon from a 20 cm height. In Group 1 (standard control), animals did not suffer the lesion nor underwent laser therapy; in Group 2 (control), animals suffered the lesion but did not undergo laser therapy; in Groups 3, 4, and 5, animals suffered lesion and underwent laser therapy for 3, 5, and 7 days, respectively. Animals which suffered lesion were sacrificed on the 8th day after the lesion and assessed by polarization microscopy to analyze the degree of collagen fibers organization., Results: Both experimental and standard control Groups presented significant values when compared with the control Groups, and there was no significant difference when Groups 1 and 4 were compared; the same occurred between Groups 3 and 5., Conclusion: Low intensity laser therapy was effective in the improvement of collagen fibers organization of the calcaneous tendon after undergoing a partial lesion.

Background: Expeditious care within minutes of severe injury improves outcome and is the driving force for development of trauma care systems. Transition from hospital care to rehabilitation is an important step in recovery after trauma-related injury. We hypothesize that delay in the transition from acute care to rehabilitation adversely affects outcome and diminishes recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI)., Methods: After institutional review board approval, the trauma registry of our regional level I pediatric trauma center was queried for all children with severe blunt TBI (initial Glasgow Coma Scale score

Muscle injury represents the highest proportion of sport-linked contusions. Experimental and clinical studies aim at increasingly detailed recognition of muscle physiology and pathophysiology. It would allow to set up functional standards and permit to minimize risk of contusions associated with sport activities. In cases of such contusions it would restrict its sequele and would abbreviate the duration of treatment. In the study elements of prophylaxis, treatment and rehabilitation of injured muscles will be discussed, based on current scientific results. Review study includes data from studies investigating prophylactic activities, types of teratment and the effects of different rehabilitation strategy. Latest standards from First European Congress of Football Medicine, Munich 2004, were also taken into account. The prophylactic activities should focus on education attempting to popularize the knowledge of the role of warm-up activities which precede proper physical effort, muscle stretching and activities augmenting muscle strength. The treatment of muscle injury is related to the extent of their damage. First actions should be focused on the RICE principle (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). In case of torn tissues, local injections of anesthetics, anti-inflammatory agents and regeneration-promoting agents used to be applied. Application of NSAIDs and anti-thrombotic prophylaxis is sound but due to their side effects it is recommended as frequently as it is counterindicated by physicians. A threshold in the therapy, not always noted by therapeutists, involves rapid mobilization of the injured tissue. This involves mobility exercises starting at 3-5 days post-trauma, with no load at the beginning, but starting at days 4 to 6 asssociated with appropriate loading. The recently conducted studies aim at stimulation of rapid muscle regeneration, inhibition of scar formation in the site of injury and elimination of already existing scars. The latter seems most difficult due to the high risk of the repeated muscle injury in the same site. The rehabilitation following trauma with particular attention paid to proprioceptive training is equally important. The risk of another contusion cannot be reduced to minimum until the pre-contusion proprioception level is achieved in the contused extremity.

To establish the use of health care services 6 months following major trauma, 243 blunt major trauma patients were recruited during their acute hospital stay and followed up by telephone interview at 6 months post-injury. Data collected at 6 months included health care service usage and their level of disability according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale--Extended (GOSE). Ninety-four percent of patients were living in the community at 6 months, and most (69%) reported continued use of health care services. Of those with ongoing disability, non-compensable patients were significantly more likely (OR 3.7; 95% CI, 1.6-8.6) to have ceased health care service use than compensable patients, independent of injury severity.

The aim of this study was to identify the outcomes of survivors of blunt major trauma (without head injury) 2 years or more following injury. The study uses a case-control design, is set in the West of Scotland and includes trauma patients treated in Greater Glasgow NHS Board hospitals. Participants consisted of patients who had sustained major trauma (injury severity score >15) with little or no head injury at least 2 years before assessment, identified from the Scottish Trauma Audit Group database, and age and sex-matched controls nominated by the index case's general practitioner. Nineteen cases and seven controls completed the study from 223 potential cases and 39 potential controls. Participants and non-participants had comparable injury severity score, probability of survival (Ps) and length of stay. American Medical Association impairment scores show survivors were more impaired than controls (25.9 vs 7.4%, P=0.043). No differences were observed in Functional Independence Measure (FIM) or Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) scores, although a type II error is possible. Short-form 36 (SF36) Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores of survivors showed no difference compared with controls although survivors' PCS scores were below UK and US means (P=0.008). SF36 Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores of survivors were below those of controls (45.07 vs 56.65, P=0.004) and normal values of the UK population (P=0.036). No differences in work status were noted, but small sample sizes were used. Non-head-injured survivors of major trauma in the West of Scotland have poorer health status (SF36), physically and mentally, than the UK population. They have greater impairment, but have an employment status comparable to that of the controls. The lack of differences in FIM and CIQ scores between survivors and controls may be due to small sample sizes.

Background: The development of a tiered trauma care system has lead to improved survival for the critically injured. The question as to whether the increased survival associated with the establishment of tiered levels of trauma care is paralleled by an improved functional outcome has not, however, been addressed., Methods: Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank from 1994 to 2001 was performed with functional independence measure (FIM) as the primary outcome. Trauma centers were dichotomized as Level II or above versus Level III or below. Blunt and penetrating trauma patients were analyzed separately. Other covariates included age, gender, shock, comorbidities, alcohol, drugs, as well as head, chest, abdominal, spine, and lower extremity injury. Confidence intervals were set at an alpha of 0.05., Results: A total of 474,024 patients were analyzed. Among minimally injured penetrating trauma patients, those receiving care at a higher tiered center had a higher likelihood of total independence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0, 2.0). Among minimal, moderate and severely injured blunt trauma patients those receiving care at a higher tiered center had a higher likelihood of total independence (OR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.0, 1.4, OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.6, OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.3, 1.5, respectively)., Conclusions: These data indicate that the complex care delivered by advanced level trauma centers is associated with improved functional outcomes. Further investigations to identify the reasons for differences in these outcomes are necessary to improve care at lower tiered hospitals particularly for minimally injured patients.

Objectives: Injury Severity Score (ISS) is the most widely used method of assessing severity of injury in blunt trauma. It has been recognized that, by only allowing the score to consider the worst injury for each body system, ISS underestimates the problems of multiple musculoskeletal injuries. The New ISS (NISS) allows the three most severe injuries to be scored, irrespective of region affected, and may give better prediction of functional recovery in these patients., Methods: A prospective cohort study of 200 patients with musculoskeletal injuries, examining the predictive value of ISS and NISS on functional recovery as measured by patient-derived outcome measures (Short Form-36, Sickness Impact Profile, and Musculoskeletal Function Assessment)., Results: NISS was greater than ISS in 34 patients (17%). NISS showed closer correlation with total scores and subscores of the outcomes measures than did ISS (Spearman's rho ranked test, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: NISS, a simple modification from ISS, better predicts functional outcomes in survivors of musculoskeletal trauma, and offers an improvement in the assessment of effectiveness of trauma care delivery.

Neurons in the hilus of the dentate gyrus are lost following a lateral fluid percussion injury. Environmental enrichment is known to increase neurogenesis in the dentate in intact rats, suggesting that it might also do so following fluid percussion injury, and potentially provide replacements for lost neurons. We report that 1 h of daily environmental enrichment for 3 weeks increased the number of progenitor cells in the dentate following fluid percussion injury, but only on the ipsilesional side. In the dentate granule cell layer, but not the hilus, most progenitors had a neuronal phenotype. The rate of on going cell proliferation was similar across groups. Collectively, these results suggest that the beneficial effects of environmental enrichment on behavioral recovery following FP injury are not attributable to neuronal replacement in the hilus but may be related to increased neurogenesis in the granule cell layer.

Our laboratory has developed an animal model to study factors leading to chronic disease in a blunt impacted joint. Studies to date indicate post trauma softening of the impacted joint cartilage, but a limited degree of histological degradation in the tissue. The model utilizes treadmill exercise of the animal post trauma. The hypothesis of the current study was that post trauma exercise helps limit histological and mechanical degradation of the impacted retro-patellar cartilage. The study involved a group of animals with enforced exercise on a treadmill and another group with cage-activity post trauma. The animals were sacrificed after 24 months. Mechanical and histological analyses were performed on the retro-patellar cartilage from each group. The impacted versus contra-lateral, non-impacted retro-patellar cartilage was mechanically softened in the exercise group, but not in the cage-activity group. Histological analyses of the tissue from the cage-activity group indicated that this cartilage had less surface integrity, more ossification/calcification, and more erosion than that in the impacted tissue from the exercise group. These tissue changes may lead to an apparent stiffening effect in the impacted cartilage from the cage-activity group at 24 months post-trauma. Potential relationships between the intensity and frequency of post trauma exercise and the mechanical character and histological degradation of the impacted cartilage need additional study. The study indicates that post-trauma exercise can significantly alter the outcome of a blunt knee joint trauma in this experimental animal model.

Background: Injury is the leading cause of preventable morbidity and functional limitation in children. Long-term sequelae are measured best by the degree of impairment after recovery from the acute traumatic event. The specific aim of this study was to determine the quality of life and functional status of moderately to severely injured pediatric trauma patients at hospital discharge and at 1, 6, and 12 months postinjury., Methods: We conducted a prospective longitudinal study of children aged 1 to 18 years with blunt injury and Injury Severity Score >/= 9, excluding head and spinal cord injury. Children were evaluated at hospital discharge and at 1, 6, and 12 months postinjury, using the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), the Functional Independence Measure, and the Impact on Family Scale. Baseline and 1- and 6-month data analyses are reported., Results: One hundred sixty-two children were enrolled in the study, and 156 had completed 6-month data entry. The mean age was 9.3 +/- 5.3 years, and the mean Injury Severity Score was 14 +/- 7.4. The most common cause of injury was motor vehicular-related (43%). Fifty-eight (37%) had multisystem injuries. Femur fracture represented the most common injury (54.8%). Families experienced economic, social, and personal strain, as measured by the Impact on Family scale. There was a significant improvement in CHQ and Functional Independence Measure scores between baseline and 1 month and between 1 month and 6 months postinjury. However, at 6 months, physical scores remained lower than age-matched norms., Conclusion: Injury in children results in a significant burden on families. Although children demonstrate a rapid recovery of function and quality of life after blunt injury, physical function remains lower than age-matched norms at 6 months postinjury. It is unclear whether this represents a plateau in recovery or whether further improvements can be expected over longer time intervals.

This study sought to evaluate injury causes and patient outcomes in young children with abdominal injuries. Cases of blunt abdominal injury (N = 927) to children ages 0 to 4 years were extracted from the National Pediatric Trauma Registry. Measures included hospital utilization (days hospitalized, intensive care unit use, and surgery) and patient outcome (in-hospital fatality, discharge to rehabilitation facility, home rehabilitation, and home nursing). The three most common mechanisms of abdominal injury were motor vehicles (61.27%), child abuse (15.75%), and falls (13.59%). Hospital utilization was higher in patients with multisystem injuries. Patient outcomes were more severe in abused children or those with concomitant central nervous system (CNS) injury; these were the only variables independently associated with increased mortality in this sample. Pediatric abdominal trauma leads to intense use of hospital resources and a high risk of in-hospital mortality. Child abuse, compared to falls, is independently associated with a 6-fold increase in in-hospital mortality.

Criminal behaviour and violence may be the consequence of head injuries acquired during childhood and youth (gang fights, domestic violence, small blows to the head while driving, falls and so forth). In this study, a comparison was made of the school and head injury histories of violent and non-violent prisoners. It was found that the delinquent subjects in both groups had a history of academic difficulties. However, what differentiated the violent from the non-violent group was a history of having suffered head injuries that were never treated. Problems at school are not enough themselves to predict violent behaviour. A history of discrete neurological damage as a consequence to blows received to the head must also be present. The results suggest to the authors that the treatment of the cognitive, behavioural and emotional consequences of brain injury could be a measure for crime prevention. Measures both for prevention and rehabilitation are discussed.

Background: The lasting impact of injury on lifestyle in the elderly remains poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term quality-of-life outcomes in elderly trauma patients., Methods: The trauma registry at a regional trauma center was used to identify hospital survivors of injury > or = 65 years old discharged from April 1996 to March 1999. The 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) Health Survey was administered to this group by telephone interview and the scores compared with age-adjusted Canadian norms. Comparisons with test were made for continuous data., Results: Complete data collection was achieved in 128 of 171 (75%) study patients. The mean Injury Severity Score was 21, the mean initial Glasgow Coma Scale score was 13, and the mean age was 74. Most (97%) were victims of blunt trauma. Compared with Canadian age-adjusted norms, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in seven of eight SF-36 domains: Physical Functioning, Role-Physical and Role-Emotional (limitations secondary to physical and emotional health), Social Functioning, Mental Health, Vitality, and General Health. Before injury, most (98%) were living independently at home. However, at long-term follow-up (mean, 2.8 years; range, 1.5-4.5 years), only 63% were living independently and 20% still required home care., Conclusion: Although the majority of elderly injury survivors achieve independent living, long-term follow-up indicates significant residual disability in quality of life as measured by the SF-36.

Objective: To compare types and frequency of medical complications and comorbidities associated with violence-related penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) as compared to violence-related blunt TBI., Method: Data were collected prospectively at four medical centers participating in the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) of Care project. A total of 317 individuals met the inclusion criteria for the TBIMS (i.e., showed evidence of a TBI, were age 16 or older, presented to the TBIMS emergency department within 24 hours of injury, and received acute and rehabilitation services within the model system)., Main Outcome Measures: Frequency of medical complications and comorbid diseases., Results: Patients with penetrating injuries suffered significantly higher rates of respiratory failure (P =.004), pneumonitis/pneumonia, (P =.002), skull fracture (P =.001), cerebrospinal fluid leak (P =.0005), and hypotonia (P =.001) than did patients with blunt injuries. Prediction of complications and comorbidities via multiple regression revealed that a penetrating violent injury and the severity of injury were independent predictors of a higher rate of medical complications, whereas age and gender did not account for unique variance in the equation., Conclusions: Penetrating injuries are associated with higher rates of certain medical complications, especially to the pulmonary and central nervous systems. Acute care physicians and physiatrists must be prepared to treat these complications more often in patients with penetrating injuries.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the state of rehabilitation in patients with blunt multiple injuries 2 years after their initial injuries, using several standardized scales and a recently described comprehensive scoring system, by means of a prospective clinical multicenter study., Methods: Two years after the initial injury, patients with blunt multiple injuries (Injury Severity Score > or = 16) underwent a clinical follow-up in 5 German Level I trauma centers. The reassessment included a complete head-to-toe examination of the musculoskeletal system and a neurologic examination. The following patient-assessed health status scores were used to determine the quality of life: Short-Form 12, Functional Independence Measurement, and Musculoskeletal Function Assessment. Moreover, a comprehensive scoring system developed in our department (Hannover Score for Polytrauma Outcome [HASPOC]) was used that includes provider-report (physician's examination) and self-report (score systems) criteria., Results: Two hundred fifty-four of 312 patients who had been injured between January 1995 and July 1996 were reexamined between January 1, 1997, and July 1, 1998. Among the remaining 58 patients, 9 had died by the time of follow-up, and 49 patients had not accepted the invitation. The mean age of those patients who underwent reexamination was 36 +/- 13 years, the mean Injury Severity Score was 24 +/- 6, and the mean initial Glasgow Coma Scale score was 11 +/- 4 (Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) head score of 3.3 +/- 1.1; AIS face, 1.4 +/- 0.1; AIS chest, 3.0 +/- 0.8; AIS abdomen, 1.7 +/- 0.6; and AIS extremities, 3.4 +/- 0.8). The general outcome (Short-Form 12) was as follows: grade I, 9%; grade II, 25%; grade III, 29%; grade IV, 25%; grade V, 6%; and grade VI, 6%. The outcome of the injured extremity demonstrated moderate or severe restrictions according to the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment in 41% of injuries of the lower extremity and in 16% of injuries of the upper extremity. Among patients with injuries to the lower extremity, 52% experienced pain or impaired ability to walk related to an injury of the foot or ankle, 31% indicated pain after a knee or thigh injury, and 27% indicated pain after a femoral or hip injury. The most severe deficits in the range of motion occurred in the foot and the ankle region (13.4% deficit of range of motion < 20% of normal range, p < 0.05 to other injuries). The results of the outcome obtained by self-report correlated with the clinical examination when a scoring system was used that was described recently, the HASPOC., Conclusion: In a standardized multicenter reexamination of patients with blunt multiple injuries, the general outcome was usually fair or good. Both the complaints and the objective results of specific extremity areas demonstrated that most limitations were because of injuries below the knee. These results were adequately reflected by a comprehensive scoring system, combining self-report and provider report (HASPOC).

Objective: Blunt liver trauma management has changed over the last 2 decades to include non-operative management as one of the standard approaches, particularly to those with minor liver injury. We reviewed the experience at a non-trauma hospital to identify trends in methods of evaluation and management of blunt liver trauma and discuss its outcome., Methods: Medical records of 21 patients who sustained blunt liver trauma between June 1992 and July 1999 were retrospectively reviewed at King Fahad Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia., Results: Thirty-three percent received non-operative management and recovered without complications. The rest received an operative management but in comparison had more severe liver injury scales, higher incidence of associated injuries, significantly greater blood transfusion requirements, longer hospital stay and a mortality rate of 67%., Conclusion: Non-operative management of blunt liver trauma is a valid effective option. It requires less blood transfusion and shorter hospital stay and is associated with a low complication rate. Severe liver injury can be associated with high mortality. Outcome can be significantly affected by both the severity of liver trauma and associated injuries particularly severe head injury. Management of the severely injured is expected to have a better outcome in a trauma centre.

Purpose of the Study: The goal of this work was to evaluate outpatient rehabilitation after anterior curciate ligament reconstruction using the bone-tendon technique., Material and Methods: This was a prospective non-randomized study of 103 consecutive patients participating in the same rehabilitation program, excepting for the first month. During the first postoperative month, 55 patients (group A) attended a physical therapy outpatient clinic near their home and 48 patients (group B) followed the same rehabilitation protocol at an inpatient facility of their choice. We recorded preoperative data for age, sex, weight, height and function (sports, occupational activities). Surgery data concerned delay between severe sprain and surgery, and the exact surgical procedure used (meniscal tear, associated procedure). Clinical assessment (mobility, effusion, clinical and radiological laxity) and functional scores (Tegner, Lysholm, Arpege, IKDC) as well as delay to recovery of gait and to renewed physical activity were recorded at 3 and 6 weeks and 4, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Two isokinetic tests were done 4 and 6 months postoperatively., Results: There was no statistical difference for the pre and peroperative data between the two groups, with the exception of meniscal tears that were more frequent in group A (p<0.05). Postoperative outcome and complications were not significantly different between the 2 groups except for greater flexion at 3 weeks in group B (related to difference in measurement date). Fifteen complications were observed in each group: 4 reflex dystrophies and 2 cyclope syndromes in each group, 5 patellar syndromes in group A and 1 in group B; 3 painful surgical wound sites in group A and 8 in group B (including one requiring revision). In group A there was one early failure due to a surgical error requiring revision. At 1 year, there were 2 cases of persistent femoropatellar syndromes, one of which occurred after reflex dystrophy. A high percentage of the patients were lost to follow-up (45% in group A and 50% in group B) and lack of randomization should also be considered when interpreting the results., Discussion: This is the first report comparing inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation protocols after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. The only reports in the literature have compared different ambulatory rehabilitation programs that appear to be internationally accepted as the routine procedure. The current trend towards short hospital stays for surgery is compatible with outpatient rehabilitation programs if dependent patients receive proper support from an ambulatory medical unit, a physical therapist or a home assistant. Our study demonstrated that the bone-tendon technique for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is compatible with an outpatient rehabilitation program if quality medical and surgical follow-up is ensured. This type of rehabilitation program gives results comparable with those obtained after inpatient programs conducted in a rehabilitation facility during the first postoperative month.

Background: Some survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) sustain anoxic brain injury. The aim of this study was to offer these patients a new treatment approach, to describe the course and outcome of rehabilitation, and to judge whether rehabilitation provided benefit., Methods: Twenty severely disabled patients (mean age 47.6 years, 17 M:3 F) were admitted for inpatient rehabilitation after sustaining anoxic brain damage secondary to CA. The multidisciplinary treatment approach aimed at orientation, communication, mobility, and self care. Function was assessed using Barthel index (BI) score. On discharge, placement and global outcome was noted. Medical charts of consecutive patients were reviewed retrospectively., Results: Inpatient rehabilitation lasted on for average 12 weeks. Improvement in function was slow with a median increase of 1.88 BI score per week. Patients achieved clinically significant functional improvement as measured by pre-post comparison of BI (P<0.001). On discharge, overall disability was mild in 2 (10%), moderate in 7 (35%), and severe in 11 (55%) patients., Conclusion: Rehabilitation of selected CA survivors is appropriate, reducing the subsequent burden of care. Although in 55%, only minor dependence on care persisted, on a group level, the potential for rehabilitation was modest, and recovery curve was flat. Before admission, families should be given realistic information about the possible outcome, because independence was rarely achieved.

Background/purpose: Cervical spine injuries are uncommon in children, and, therefore, presumptive immobilization and diagnosis remain controversial. The purpose of this study was to review the author's experience with cervical spine injuries in children to determine the incidence, injury mechanism, pattern of injury, and subsequent functional outcome., Methods: Fifty-two children over a 6-year period (1994 to 1999) with a cervical spine injury secondary to blunt trauma were identified (1.3% incidence). The functional independent measure (FIM) was assessed at the time of discharge in each of 3 categories: communication, feeding, and locomotion., Results: Mean age of the study children was 10.7 +/- 0.7 years. Eight children (15%) were less than 5 years old, and 4 (8%) were less than 2 years old. The mechanism of injury included motor vehicle crash (52%), falls (15%), bicycle accidents (11%), sports-related injuries (10%), pedestrian accidents (8%), and motorcycle crashes (4%). Seven patients died yielding an overall mortality rate of 13%. Injuries were distributed along the cervical spinal cord as follows: 5 atlanto-occipital dislocations, 28 C1 to C3 injuries, 17 C4 to C7 injuries, and 2 ligamentous injuries. FIM scores were recorded for 18 patients. Seventeen communicated independently, 14 fed themselves independently, and 12 had independent locomotive function., Conclusions: Cervical spine injuries occur in children across a spectrum of ages. Although atlanto-occipital dislocation is a highly lethal event, children with C1 to C7 injuries have a high likelihood of reasonable independent functioning.

Objective: To determine the emotional and cognitive impact of injury and surgery on physical recovery in injured athletes., Design: A prospective longitudinal study comparing the psychosocial and physical recovery of competitive and recreational athletes., Setting: Tertiary-care sports medicine center., Participants: Twenty-seven athletes (15 men and 12 women) who required anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery., Interventions: A repeated-measures design used to compare the psychosocial and physical changes for 6 months after ACL surgery., Main Outcome Measures: Emotional (mood) and cognitive (coping) functions and physical recovery (range of motion, physician-rated level of recovery, and physician permission to return to sport)., Results: There was a significant time-effect difference in mood, with a greater mood disturbance and recovery rate for competitive athletes than recreational athletes. Differences in mood and pain coping were significant at 2 weeks and 2 months after surgery., Conclusion: Athletes experience significant mood changes throughout rehabilitation, which may hinder rehabilitation early in the process. Longer-term rehabilitation was not impacted by mood or pain coping. Future studies might focus on examining the process over a longer time period (1-2 years after surgery). Physicians should be aware of these findings and appropriately counsel and motivate athletes toward more favorable positive psychological and physical outcomes.

Objective: To characterize the frequency of recovery of arm paresis in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) admitted to rehabilitation., Design: Retrospective review identifying a cohort of patients with moderate or severe arm paresis after TBI followed at least 6 months postinjury., Setting: Freestanding acute rehabilitation hospital TBI unit., Patients and Methods: Forty-four patients with moderate to severe arm paresis were selected from 264 consecutive admissions and characterized by injury pathology subtype, injury severity (duration of unconsciousness [loss of consciousness, LOC] and posttraumatic amnesia [PTA]), age, and level of paresis according to Brunnstrom Stages of Recovery (BS 1 to 6). Patient groups with and without arm paresis were compared according to these variables (t tests and chi(2))., Main Outcome Measures: Recovery of arm paresis to isolated motor function (BS 5 or 6) and time to achieve recovery. Recovered and nonrecovered patients were compared (Mann-Whitney, t tests, and chi(2)) on injury severity, initial level of paresis, age, time to rehabilitation admission, and pathology subtype. Time to recovery was compared for patients at different levels of initial paresis, ranges of LOC, and pathology subtypes (Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests)., Results: Forty-four patients (17%) had moderate (BS 3 to 4) or severe (BS 1 to 2) paresis at rehabilitation admission. They were more severely injured than nonparetic patients based on longer LOC (p < .002) and PTA (p < .009). Thirty-six patients (82%) recovered by 6 months; 72% of these recovered by 2 months. If still paretic at 2 months, only 56% recovered. Mean recovery time was 6.9 weeks (SD, 6.1) from injury. Time to recovery was best predicted by initial level of paresis and injury severity (r2 = .48), but not age. Patients with diffuse injury tended towards a more protracted recovery (7.9 weeks, SD 6.5) than patients with focal injury (4.2 weeks, SD 3.9) (p = .08) and only those with diffuse injury showed further recovery after 3 months., Conclusions: Arm paresis after TBI is relatively infrequent. Most patients recover by 2 months but later recovery is possible, especially in patients with primarily diffuse brain damage. Recovery is highly related to initial impairment, injury severity, and distribution of brain injury.

Objectives: There has been little research on the time course of recovery from injury in athletes. This is especially the case for recovery in arm power in injured swimmers. The purpose of this study was to compare the power output of the injured and non-injured arms of swimmers during recovery from injury by use of a maximal exercise test on a computer interfaced isokinetic swim bench., Methods: Thirteen swimmers (five men and eight women; age 18.8 (3.2) years; stature 1.76 (0.05) m; body mass 61.7 (5.9) kg; mean (SD)) gave written informed consent and were recruited to this study throughout a three year period. All subjects had experienced non-aquatic soft tissue injury to their dominant-side shoulder or upper arm in the three months before participation, but had been allowed to return to swimming training. All of the subjects had injured their dominant arm and the mean time for absence from training was 3.7 (1.1) weeks. At return to training and at four, eight, and twelve weeks thereafter, subjects performed two all-out 30 second tests on the swim bench by simulating the swimming arm action. From these tests, peak power output (PPO), mean power output (MPO), and power decay (PD) for each arm during the 30 seconds of exercise could be determined by averaging the two tests. The differences between return to training and the four, eight, and twelve week periods were analysed using repeated measures analysis of variance with Tukey b post hoc test., Results: The repeated testing showed 95% confidence intervals of +/- 11.4 W for PPO, +/- 9.5 W for MPO and +/- 0.5 for PD. When the swimmers returned to training the results showed that PPO was 179 (21.9) v 111 (18.1) W (P = 0.02), MPO was 122 (9.8) v 101 (8.8) W (P = 0.01), and PD was 2.5 (0.6) v 5.2 (1.9) (P = 0.001) for non-injured and injured arms respectively (all values mean (SEM)). There were similar differences at four weeks which disappeared after eight weeks, except for that of PPO which was still evident (187.3 (21.9) v 156.8 (18.1) W; P = 0.01). At 12 weeks there were no differences between the non-injured and injured arm on any of the indices of arm power (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: These results suggest that, using the swim bench power test, differences in bilateral arm power output after injury persist for at least eight weeks after return to swimming training. These findings support the need for prolonged rehabilitation after such injury. This would best include physiotherapy and a training programme within which special consideration is given to the recuperation process.

Violent injuries have become an increasingly prevalent cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI). These injuries can be classified as either penetrating or non-penetrating in nature. While much of the research on violence has been within a military population, there exists a marked difference between military and civilian injuries. Prior work has reported relatively poor outcomes for those individuals who have suffered penetrating TBIs, but little has been done to assess specific functional outcome parameters in survivors. We examined 25 subjects that had sustained blunt injuries and 25 cases with penetrating injuries as a result of a violent act. Cases were matched by initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), age and educational level. Mean GCS for this study sample was 8.8. The following outcome variables were assessed at rehabilitation admission and discharge and at 1 year post injury: Disability Rating Scale (DRS), Rancho Los Amigos Scale (LCFS), Functional Independence Measure (FIM) (ambulation, expression items), length of stay, and cost of care. Student's t-tests were performed to assess for differences between the two groups. No significant differences were noted between the groups for any of the outcome variables. Although penetrating injuries may have a higher initial mortality, those who survive to come to rehabilitation appear to have similar outcomes to those patients with non-penetrating violence related injuries.

Objective: To investigate improvement rates and medical services costs in older brain injured adults relative to younger patients., Design: Descriptive statistics were computed in a prospective comparative study of 50 patients 55 years and older and 50 patients 18 to 54 years old matched for gender and injury severity (number of days in coma, admission Glasgow Coma Score, intracranial pressure). Independent t tests were performed to examine differences between the two samples on specific variables., Setting: Five medical centers in the federally sponsored Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Project that provide emergency medical services, intensive and acute medical care, inpatient rehabilitation, and a spectrum of community rehabilitation services., Participants: Patients were selected from a national database of 531 rehabilitation inpatients admitted to acute care within 8 hours of traumatic brain injury between 1989 and 1994., Main Outcome Measures: Disability Rating Scale, Functional Independence Measure, Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning Scale, length of stay, acute care and rehabilitation charges, and discharge disposition., Results: Older persons averaged a significantly longer rehabilitation length of stay, higher total rehabilitation charges, and a lower rate of change on functional measures. No significant differences between groups were found for acute care length of stay, daily rehabilitation charges, acute care charges (daily or total), or discharge disposition., Conclusions: Although older persons demonstrated functional changes, the cost of change was substantially higher than for younger patients, coincident with longer lengths of stay. These higher overall charges and slower rates of change may effect changes in referral and management patterns.

We studied the outcome of 25 patients [12 girls and 13 boys; mean age 13.7 (SD 3.9 years)] with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 6 h after the injury was (mean) 4.5 (SD 2.7), and the mean duration of unconsciousness was 15.8 (SD 10.6) days. Being the most severely brain-injured children in the health care region, they were all referred to its only regional pediatric rehabilitation center during 1986-1990. At discharge, 1 patient was healthy, 1 was in a vegetative state and 18 had multiple impairments. Motor problems were present in 22, epilepsy in 7 and speech impairment in 14. It was not possible to assess cognition in 3 of the children, and 15 of the remaining 22 fell in the normal range. At follow up 2-6 years after trauma, all 23 survivors reported at least one sequela, and 21 had multiple sequelae. As many as two-thirds had normal I.Q. and only 3 were non-ambulatory, but behavioral and personality disturbances were so disabling that none of the patients in this group had been able to readjust to a normal life in society after the trauma.