Longitudinal Trends and Prevalence of Bowel Management in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 53-67
Author(s):  
Nicholas Dietz ◽  
Kwadwo Sarpong ◽  
Beatrice Ugiliweneza ◽  
Dengzhi Wang ◽  
Sevda S. Aslan ◽  
...  

Background: Neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) following spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a major source of morbidity, negatively impacting quality of life and overall independence. The long-term changes in bowel care needs are not well-reported, preventing consensus on the natural course and optimal management of NBD following injury. Objectives: To understand the changes in bowel management needs over time following SCI. Methods: A retrospective observational study using the National Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems database evaluated the degree of independence with bowel management at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation across time (1988–2016). The prevalence and consecutive trajectory of bowel management was also evaluated at discharge and at each 5-year follow-up period, for 25 years. Results: The majority of individuals discharged from inpatient rehabilitation (n = 17,492) required total assistance with bowel management, a trend that significantly increased over time. However, by 5-years post injury, there was a significant shift in bowel management needs from total assistance to modified independence. In those with consecutive 25-year follow-up data (n = 11,131), a similar shift in bowel management to a less dependent strategy occurred even at chronic time points post injury, primarily in individuals with paraplegia and classified as motor and sensory complete. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the need for providing continued multipronged interventions (e.g., rehabilitative, educational, psycho-social) at the different stages of SCI to support individuals not only in the immediate years after discharge but also well into the chronic stages after injury.

Author(s):  
Andrew C. Smith ◽  
Denise R. O’Dell ◽  
Wesley A. Thornton ◽  
David Dungan ◽  
Eli Robinson ◽  
...  

Background: Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), widths of ventral tissue bridges demonstrated significant predictive relationships with future pinprick sensory scores, and widths of dorsal tissue bridges demonstrated significant predictive relationships with future light touch sensory scores, following spinal cord injury (SCI). These studies involved smaller participant numbers, and external validation of their findings is warranted. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to validate these previous findings using a larger independent data set. Methods: Widths of ventral and dorsal tissue bridges were quantified using MRI in persons post cervical level SCI (average 3.7 weeks post injury), and pinprick and light touch sensory scores were acquired at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation (average 14.3 weeks post injury). Pearson product-moments were calculated and linear regression models were created from these data. Results: Wider ventral tissue bridges were significantly correlated with pinprick scores (r = 0.31, p < 0.001, N = 136) and wider dorsal tissue bridges were significantly correlated with light touch scores (r = 0.31, p < 0.001, N = 136) at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Conclusion: This retrospective study’s results provide external validation of previous findings, using a larger sample size. Following SCI, ventral tissue bridges hold significant predictive relationships with future pinprick sensory scores and dorsal tissue bridges hold significant predictive relationships with future light touch sensory scores.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-330
Author(s):  
Kazuko Shem ◽  
Joseph Wong ◽  
Ben Dirlikov ◽  
Kathleen Castillo

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. Inclusion criteria were age 18 years or older, admitted into SCI inpatient rehabilitation unit, and medically stable for participation in bedside swallow evaluation (BSE) and videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS). All participants first underwent a BSE, of whom 33 completed a VFSS. A follow-up BSE was conducted on individuals who tested positive on the initial BSE and continued to show signs of dysphagia. Diagnosis and type of dysphagia as well risk factors were collected. Results: Twenty-three out of 76 individuals with cervical SCI were diagnosed with dysphagia using the BSE. All participants with positive BSE and VFSS had pharyngeal dysfunction. For participants with a positive initial BSE and persisting dysphagia ( n = 14), a follow-up BSE demonstrated resolution within 34 days. Risk factors associated with dysphagia were older age, nasogastric tube, invasive mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, and pneumonia. Posterior spinal surgery was associated with a decreased risk of dysphagia. Conclusion: Dysphagia was present in 30% of individuals based on the initial BSE. 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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-260
Author(s):  
Chloe Slocum ◽  
Cristina Shea ◽  
Richard Goldstein ◽  
Ross Zafonte

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between early trauma indicators and neurologic recovery after traumatic SCI using standardized outcome measures from the ISNCSCI examination and standardized functional outcome measures for rehabilitation populations. Methods: This is a retrospective review of merged, prospectively collected, multicenter data from the Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems (SCIMS) database and institutional trauma databases from five academic medical centers across the United States. Functional status at inpatient rehabilitation discharge and change in severity and level of injury from initial SCI to inpatient rehabilitation discharge were analyzed to assess neurologic recovery for patients with traumatic SCI. Linear and logistic regression with multiple imputation were used for the analyses. Results: A total of 209 patients were identified. Mean age at injury was 47.2 ± 18.9 years, 72.4% were male, 22.4% of patients had complete injuries at presentation to the emergency department (ED), and most patients were admitted with cervical SCI. Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 124.1 ± 29.6 mm Hg, mean ED heart rate was 83.7 ± 19.9 bpm, mean O2 saturation was 96.8% ± 4.0%, and mean Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score was 13.3 ± 3.9. The average Injury Severity Score (ISS) in this population was 22.4. Linear regression analyses showed that rehabilitation discharge motor FIM was predicted by motor FIM on admission and ISS. Requiring ventilatory support on ED presentation was negatively associated with improvement of ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) grade at rehabilitation discharge compared with AIS grade after initial injury. Emergency room physiologic measures (SBP, pulse, oxygen saturation) did not predict discharge motor FIM or improvement in AIS grade or neurological level of injury. Conclusion: Our study showed a positive association between discharge FIM and ISS and a negative association between ventilatory support at ED presentation and AIS improvement. The absence of any significant association between other physiologic or clinical variables at ED presentation with rehabilitation outcomes suggests important areas for future clinical research.


2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark I. Tonack ◽  
Sander L. Hitzig ◽  
B. Catharine Craven ◽  
Kent A. Campbell ◽  
Kathryn A. Boschen ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Khaled Hassan

This Pilot retrospective research conducted on the results of open surgery in patients with Grade III and IV haemorrhoids With SCI. No major complications had arisen at 6 weeks post-operative and all wounds had healed, but 1 patient Anal fissure recurrence. 75% of patients reported a substantial increase in anorectal anorexia during long-term follow-up. With symptoms. Five patients reported recurrences: three haemorrhoids (18 percent) and two anal fissures (25 percent).   Keywords: Haemorrhoids, Pilot retrospective research, Anorectal Anorexia.


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