Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the Italian version of the Synkinesis Assessment Questionnaire in individuals with peripheral facial palsy.

Background: After peripheral facial palsy, the onset of facial synkinesis results in aesthetic disfigurement and local muscle tension or pain, with possible deterioration of patient's well-being and social participation. The availability of valid instruments to evaluate patient-reported severity of facial synkinesis is important to capture the subjective perception of facial impairment.

Aim: To generate and validate an Italian version of the Synkinesis Assessment Questionnaire, a patient-reported outcome measure to assess patient-perceived severity of facial synkinesis after peripheral facial palsy.

Facial Disability Index in Adults With Peripheral Facial Palsy: Rasch Analysis and Suggestions for Refinement.

Objective: To investigate the psychometric properties of the validated Italian version of the Facial Disability Index (FDI), a patient-reported outcome measure widely used to assess individuals with peripheral facial palsy.

Design: Methodological research on cross-sectional data from a convenience sample.

Setting: Outpatient university rehabilitation clinic.

Activity limitations and participation restrictions in patients with peripheral facial palsy: a cross-sectional study over a six-year period.

Background: Peripheral facial palsy is a pathological condition caused by a wide range of etiologies. A damage of VII cranial nerve produces facial disfigurement and limitations in daily life activities, such as drinking, eating and speaking. As a consequence, patients may experience psychological distress and social isolation.

Potentiation of muscle strength by focal vibratory stimulation on quadriceps femoris.

Objectives: Several studies have investigated the effects of focal vibration on muscle strength. Non-univocal results have been found. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of prolonged focal vibratory stimulation on quadriceps muscle strength at two different frequencies (80 and 300 Hz).

Integrating and monitoring hand burn rehabilitative treatment using Virtual Reality.

Objectives: Hand burn is not a common condition in the clinical practice and needs a long and laboured rehabilitative treatment to restore the lost function.

Methods: This case report illustrates the achievable improvements in mobility and function by using innovative inertial systems for occupational exercise in a Virtual Reality, in addition to a traditional rehabilitative treatment.

Results: Through these instruments, we could promote and concurrently assess the recovery of a functional grasp and the ability in the execution of Activities of Daily Living.

Disability after major abdominal surgery: determinants of recovery of walking ability in elderly patients.

Background: Increased life expectancy and improved surgical techniques have led to a sharp rise in healthcare resource consumption by older patients. In these patients early recovery of walking ability after abdominal surgery may shorten length of hospital stay and reduce overall healthcare costs, but it is important to understand what factors determine this recovery.

Aim: To assess preoperative and postoperative determinants of walking ability recovery after major abdominal surgery in older patients.

Changes in quality of life and functional capacity after lung transplantation: A single-center experience.

Lung transplantation (LT) increases the life expectancy of patients affected by end stage pulmonary disease; specifically, its ultimate aims are to improve survival and health related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of the present longitudinal study was to determine the HRQoL trajectory and changes in functional capacity from time of entry in the waiting list for LT to 2 year after LT. The study included sixty-nine outpatients enrolled in a single medical center when they entered the waiting list for LT and who subsequently received it.

Early rehabilitation after elective total knee arthroplasty.

Background And Aim Of The Work: Outcomes after TKA surgery are supposed to be related to the intensity and type of post-operative rehabilitation. Aim of this paper is to describe our early rehabilitation protocol following TKA with mini-invasive surgery in the immediate post-operative period and analyze functional recovery and changes in pain scores in these patients.

Methods: in this observational study, data were collected on 215 total knee arthroplasty patients referred to Orthopedics and Traumatology inpatient ward from July 2012 to January 2014, treated with the same early start rehabilitation protocol.

Early rehabilitative treatment after infrainguinal lower limb bypass surgery.

Background And Aim Of The Work: Functional activity may remain limited in patients affected by critical limb ischemia, despite successful infrainguinal lower limb bypass surgery (ILLBS). The aim of the work was to evaluate the impact of a rehabilitative intervention on postoperative ambulatory status and pain.

Methods: In an observational study, data were collected on 34 patients undergoing ILLBS for critical limb ischemia or end-stage peripheral arterial disease.

Assessment of physical performance and quality of life in kidney-transplanted patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Information on physical and mental wellness in renal transplantation is limited. Therefore, we performed a cross-sectional study to evaluate and describe the different components of physical performance and quality of life (QoL) in a cohort of kidney-transplanted patients.

Methods: Physical performance and QoL were determined through the administration of validated tests and questionnaires [muscle strength, dynamometer handgrip, tactile sensitivity, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey].

Diagnosis and treatment of pain in plexopathy, radiculopathy, peripheral neuropathy and phantom limb pain. Evidence and recommendations from the Italian Consensus Conference on Pain on Neurorehabilitation.

Pain may affect all aspects of social life and reduce the quality of life. Neuropathic pain (NP) is common in patients affected by plexopathy, radiculopathy, mononeuropathy, peripheral neuropathy. Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a painful sensation that is common after amputation, and its pathophysiological mechanisms involve changes in the peripheral and central nervous system.

Focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy combined with supervised eccentric training for supraspinatus calcific tendinopathy.

Background: Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is effective in reducing shoulder pain and improving function in calcific supraspinatus tendinopathy. Eccentric exercise has been introduced as an effective treatment choice for Achilles tendinopathy, but poor evidence exists about its role in the treatment of rotator cuff tendinopathy.

Aim: To investigate if adding a supervised eccentric training of the shoulder abductor muscles could improve the outcome of ESWT.

Effect of Botulinum Toxin on Disabling Neuropathic Pain: A Case Presentation Suggesting a New Therapeutic Strategy.

Unlabelled: This case presentation describes a 47-year-old woman who developed complex regional pain syndrome type II with severe neuropathic pain following iatrogenic transection of the tibial nerve at the ankle. The pain and disability progressively worsened over time, markedly impaired ambulation, and were not relieved despite various analgesic treatments. After injection of botulinum toxin (abobotulinumtoxinA, BoNT-A) in the leg muscles the tendons of which pass through the tarsal tunnel (together with the tibial nerve), her pain decreased and her walking capacity improved.

Long-term facial improvement after repeated BoNT-A injections and mirror biofeedback exercises for chronic facial synkinesis: a case-series study.

Background: Only few studies have considered the effects of the combined treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA (BoNT-A) injections and biofeedback (BFB) rehabilitation in the recovery of postparetic facial synkinesis (PPFS).

Aim: To explore the presence of a persistent improvement in facial function out of the pharmacological effect of BoNT-A in subjects with established PPFS, after repeated sessions of BoNT-A injections combined with an educational facial training program using mirror biofeedback (BFB) exercises. Secondary objective was to investigate the trend of the presumed persistent improvement.

Postoperative rehabilitation for chronic subdural hematoma in the elderly. An observational study focusing on balance, ambulation and discharge destination.

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) can have a negative impact on autonomy of the elderly. Ambulatory and functional status may remain limited despite successful surgical evacuation.

Aim: To evaluate the outcome of a postoperative assisted rehabilitation program.

Functional and quality of life evaluation after single level cervical discectomy and fusion or cervical artificial disc replacement.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare clinical, functional and quality of life (QOL) outcomes after two types of surgical approach for single level cervical disc herniation: anterior cervical discectomy andfusion (ACDF) with cage and cervical artificial disc replacement (C-ADR).

Method: 119 patients with cervical disc herniation underwent surgery from January 2007 to December 2010; 55 patients were included in the study (27 ACDF, 28 C-ADR). We performed: a pre and postoperative clinical evaluation of cervicobrachial pain, motor and sensory deficit in the upper limbs; a functional and QOL evaluation with self assessment scales (VAS, NPNQ, SF-36); a postoperative instrumental evaluation of cervical ROM and pain.

Functional assessment and quality of life before and after pulmonary endoarterectomy.

Purpose: The study investigates Quality of Life (QOL) and correlation with functional status of patients affected by Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension who undergo Pulmonary Endoarterectomy.

Methods: We investigated with an observational design (before surgery, three and twelve months afterwards) the hemodynamic data (NYHA class, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, cardiac output and pulmonary vascular resistance), the functional status (using the 6-Minute Walk Test) and the QOL, using three questionnaires: Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). We report the results of forty-nine patients.

Oxygen saturation and heart rate monitoring during a single session of early rehabilitation after cardiac surgery.

Background: Early rehabilitation after cardiac surgery aims to prevent immobilization, to reduce the effects of surgery on the respiratory function and to facilitate the recovery of autonomy in the activities of daily living (ADL), after discharge. Nevertheless the optimal perioperative physical therapy care for patients undergoing cardiac surgery is not well established. Moreover, most of the studies monitored peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and heart rate (HR) during surgery or focused only on their recovery after rehabilitation and not on their pathways during a session of exercises.

Objective Clinical Assessment of Posture Patterns after Implant Breast Augmentation.

Background: An increased weight of the breasts causes several spinal postural alterations that reduce the ability to perform dynamic tasks requiring a stable balance. The effects of the increased weight of the breasts on static posture after implant breast augmentation have not been investigated yet.

Methods: Forty volunteer healthy women were asked to wear different sized breast implants (800, 400, and 300 g) inside a dedicated sports bra for 6½ consecutive hours during their everyday life activities, 1 day for every implant size.

Rehabilitation and functional recovery after masseteric-facial nerve anastomosis.

Background: After masseteric-facial nerve (V-VII) anastomosis, a new neurological circuit oversees the facial muscles and patients should learn to activate the facial movements using the masseteric function.

Aim: To monitor the rehabilitative protocol of facial muscles activation through teeth clenching and to assess the clinical evolution after V-VII anastomosis in terms of facial symmetry and functional recovery.

Design: Case series.

Hypoglossal-facial nerve anastomosis and rehabilitation in patients with complete facial palsy: cohort study of 30 patients followed up for three years.

Our study evaluates the grade and timing of recovery in 30 patients with complete facial paralysis (House-Brackmann grade VI) treated with hypoglossal-facial nerve (XII-VII) anastomosis and a long-term rehabilitation program, consisting of exercises in facial muscle activation mediated by tongue movement and synkinesis control with mirror feedback. Reinnervation after XII-VII anastomosis occurred in 29 patients, on average 5.4 months after surgery.

Monitoring iliopsoas muscle contraction in idiopathic lumbar scoliosis patients.

Background: Curve evolution in idiopathic scoliosis frequently occurs in lumbar and thoracic-lumbar spine. The spinal and iliopsoas muscles play a major role in maintaining the static and dynamic stability of the spine.

Objective: To monitor by video recording, the degree to which asymmetric isometric contractions of the iliopsoas muscle improve the lumbar curve.

Objective integrated assessment of functional outcomes in reduction mammaplasty.

Background: The aim of our study was an objective integrated assessment of the functional outcomes of reduction mammaplasty.

Methods: The study involved 17 women undergoing reduction mammaplasty from March 2009 to June 2011. Each patient was assessed before surgery and 2 months postoperatively with the original association of 4 subjective and objective assessment methods: a physiatric clinical examination, the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, the Berg Balance Scale, and a static force platform analysis.

Contralateral antalgic effect of high-frequency transcutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation.

Objective: To investigate the analgesic effect of high-frequency transcutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation (HF-TPNS) in the ipsilateral and contralateral skin territory of the stimulated nerve.

Design: Prospective, cross-over study.

Setting: Clinical neurophysiology unit, institutional care, rehabilitation center.

Functional and social limitations after facial palsy: expanded and independent validation of the Italian version of the facial disability index.

Background: The Facial Disability Index (FDI) is widely used for self-assessment of functional impairment and quality of life in patients with facial palsy.

Objective: The study aim was to complete the validation of the FDI by generating an Italian version (IT-FDI) and evaluating its clinimetric properties.

Design: This was a longitudinal, observational measurement study.