Bedside ultrasound in early diagnosis of neurogenic heterotopic ossification in patients with acquired brain injury.

Objective: To illustrate ultrasound (US) and power Doppler US (PDUS) aspects of neurogenic heterotopic ossification (NHO) in consecutive patients with severe acquired brain injury, to evaluate the role of bedside US and PDUS in early diagnosis of NHO, to study incidence and outcome of NHO in this neurorehabilitative setting.

Methods: Ninety-two consecutive patients with severe acquired brain injury underwent clinical and laboratory screening to pose suspect of NHO. In 6/92 patients bedside US examination confirmed the clinical suspect of NHO.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia after stroke: incidence, diagnosis, and clinical predictors in patients admitted to a neurorehabilitation unit.

Objective: We analyzed patients with stroke in a neurorehabilitation unit to define incidence of dysphagia, compare clinical bedside assessment and videofluoroscopy (VFS), and define any correlation between dysphagia and clinical characteristic of patients.

Methods: In all, 151 consecutive inpatients with recent ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke were enrolled.

Results: Dysphagia was clinically diagnosed in 62 of 151 patients (41%).