Early Neurotrauma Rehabilitation

Abstract

Recovery and repair begin with injury. This continues during the acute care stay and onward to the rehabilitation floor or hospital, as the environment and surrounding expertise adapt to the changing medical and functional needs of the patient. Just as early resuscitation and treatment of trauma patients has advanced the field of trauma surgery, early rehabilitation is of key importance in reducing morbidity and improving functional outcome for patients with neurotrauma. Emphasis on early rehabilitation intervention strategies in acute care has been studied in traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), and stroke rehabilitation, showing the great need for these services following acute trauma or disease. The injuries and impairments that affect the trauma patient are of broad scope. This chapter will highlight the two main categories of neurotrauma rehabilitation, which include traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury.