Topics in spinal cord injury rehabilitation
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Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil · Jan 2019
Observational StudyPharyngeal Dysphagia in Individuals With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study.
Objectives: To identify and describe the types and time course of dysphagia following cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in an SCI inpatient rehabilitation unit. Seventy-six individuals with SCI were enrolled. ⋯ All individuals with dysphagia demonstrated pharyngeal phase dysfunction on the VFSS. No participants experiencing dysphagia were missed on the BSE as confirmed by VFSS. In the subset of individuals who received a follow-up BSE, the time course of resolution of dysphagia was at most 34 days from initial BSE.
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Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil · Jan 2019
ReviewAbdominal Functional Electrical Stimulation to Augment Respiratory Function in Spinal Cord Injury.
Background: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is the application of electrical pulses to a nerve to achieve a functional muscle contraction. Surface electrical stimulation of the nerves that innervate the abdominal muscles, termed abdominal FES, can cause the abdominal muscles to contract, even when paralysed after spinal cord injury. As the abdominal muscles are the major expiratory muscles, and commonly partially or completely paralysed in tetraplegia, abdominal FES offers a promising method of improving respiratory function for this patient group. ⋯ Conclusion: Abdominal FES is a noninvasive method to achieve functional improvements in cough and respiratory function in acute and chronically injured people with tetraplegia. Potential practical outcomes of this include reduced ventilation duration, assisted tracheostomy decannulation, and a reduction in respiratory complications. All of these outcomes can contribute to reduced morbidity and mortality, improved quality of life, and significant potential cost savings for local health care providers.