Multicentric investigation on the safety, feasibility and usability of the ABLE lower-limb robotic exoskeleton for individuals with spinal cord injury: a framework towards the standardisation of clinical evaluations.

Background: Robotic lower-limb exoskeletons have the potential to provide additional clinical benefits for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, high variability between protocols does not allow the comparison of study results on safety and feasibility between different exoskeletons. We therefore incorporated key aspects from previous studies into our study protocol and accordingly conducted a multicentre study investigating the safety, feasibility and usability of the ABLE Exoskeleton in clinical settings.

Revisiting the Examination of Sharp/Dull Discrimination as Clinical Measure of Spinothalamic Tract Integrity.

Revisiting the sharp/dull discrimination as clinical measure of spinothalamic tract function considering the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI). Three clinically relevant factors were evaluated as to their impact on reliability: (1) the localization of dermatomes in relation to the sensory level, (2) the examination tool, and (3) the threshold of correct answers for grading of a preserved sharp/dull discrimination. Prospective monocentric psychometric study.

Goal attainment in mobility after acute rehabilitation of mobility-restricting paralysis syndromes with regard to the ambulatory therapeutic level of participation NeuroMoves : A German national multicenter observational cohort study.

Background: A central goal of rehabilitation in patients with paralysis syndromes after stroke or spinal cord injury (SCI) is to restore independent mobility as a pedestrian or wheelchair user. However, after acute rehabilitation, the mobility frequently deteriorates in the ambulatory setting, despite the delivery of rehabilitative interventions such as physical therapy or the prescription of assistive devices. The aim of the NeuroMoves study is to identify factors that are associated with changes of mobility in the ambulatory setting after acute inpatient rehabilitation, with a particular focus on participation according to the ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health).

Influence of patient isolation due to colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms on functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Chart reviews were combined with neurological and functional outcome data obtained from the prospective European Multicenter Study on Spinal Cord Injury (EMSCI, www.emsci.org).

MR defecography detects pelvic floor dysfunction in participants with chronic complete spinal cord injury.

Study Design: A prospective single arm study.

Objectives: Previously we have demonstrated that magnetic resonance (MR) defecography is feasible in participants with complete spinal cord injury (SCI). The main aim of this study is to evaluate whether MR defecography can provide objective parameters correlating with the clinical manifestations of neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) in participants with SCI.

3T MR-defecography-A feasibility study in sensorimotor complete spinal cord injured patients with neurogenic bowel dysfunction.

Introduction: To investigate whether MR-defecography can be employed in sensorimotor complete spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects as a potential diagnostic tool to detect defecational disorders associated with neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) using standard parameters for obstructed defecation.

Material And Methods: In a prospective single centre clinical trial, we developed MR-defecography in traumatic sensorimotor complete paraplegic SCI patients with upper motoneuron type injury (neurological level of injury T1 to T10) using a conventional 3T scanner. Defecation was successfully induced by eliciting the defecational reflex after rectal filling with ultrasonic gel, application of two lecicarbon suppositories and digital rectal stimulation.

Tetraparesis as clinical correlate of subacute cervical flexion myelopathy.

Context: We report the case of a 20-year-old woman who underwent tracheal resection with postoperative chin-to-chest suture for 10 days, presenting with severe tetraparesis at our institution. Similar cases have been reported previously, however, not yet in the pathophysiological context of chronic cervical flexion myelopathy (Hirayama syndrome).

Findings: Extensive myelopathy at cervical level is the consequence of the fixed cervical spine position due to chin-to-chest suture.