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Rehabilitation Needs of Combat‐Injured Service Members Admitted to the VA Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers: The Role of PM&R in the Care of Wounded Warriors
Author(s) -
Sayer Nina A.,
Cifu David X.,
McNamee Shane,
Chiros Christine E.,
Sigford Barbara J.,
Scott Steve,
Lew Henry L.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
pmandr
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1934-1563
pISSN - 1934-1482
DOI - 10.1016/j.pmrj.2008.10.003
Subject(s) - polytrauma , rehabilitation , medicine , psychological intervention , specialty , otorhinolaryngology , habilitation , physical therapy , health care , medical emergency , emergency medicine , psychiatry , humanities , philosophy , economic growth , economics
Objective To describe the rehabilitation course of combat‐injured service members who sustained polytraumatic injuries during the current wars in and around Iraq and Afghanistan. Design Retrospective descriptive analysis. Setting Department of Veterans Administration Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers (PRCs). Participants One hundred eighty‐eight consecutive, acutely combat‐injured service members suffering polytraumatic injuries requiring inpatient rehabilitation and being treated at PRCs between October 2001 and January 2006. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Medications prescribed, devices used, injuries and impairment information, and consultative services. Results Ninety‐three percent of the patients had sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and more than half of these were incurred secondary to blast explosions. Over half of the patients had infections or surgeries prior to PRC admission that required continued medical attention during their stay. Pain and mental health issues were present in 100% and 39%, respectively, of all patients admitted and added complexity to the brain injury rehabilitation process. Common treatment needs included cognitive‐behavioral interventions, pain care, assistive devices, mental health interventions for both patients and their families, and specialty consultations, in particular to ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and neurology. Conclusions Combat‐injured polytrauma patients have complex rehabilitation needs that require a high level of specialized training and skill. Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists treating war injured service members need a high level of expertise in assessment and treatment of co‐occurring pain, TBI, and stress disorders. Physiatrists are playing an important role in providing and coordinating the rehabilitation care for individuals with significant polytraumatic war injuries from the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) conflicts.