Medical Complications in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Book excerpt: The only book to combine the perspectives of both physical medicine and rehabilitation and internal medicine, this practical handbook provides physiatrists and residents in training with a concise description of common medical concerns that can disrupt or complicate therapy and rehabilitation. It focuses on the major diagnostic categories of disabilities that are admitted for in-patient rehabilitation such as stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury, amputation, multiple major trauma, neurological disorders, burns, musculoskeletal trauma, cancer, and other diseases or disorders. For easy reference, the book is organized by both diagnostic category and specific medical complications. The first half of the book, organized by disability, provides an overview of the unique medical problems physiatrists are likely to encounter with each condition, when those complications will occur, and the best approaches to diagnosing and treating them early. The second part, written by acute care specialists, addresses the medical issues individually with more detailed chapters on specific complications and up-to-date information on treatment. These include urinary tract infection, osteomyelitis, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, hematologic complications, gastrointestinal complications, pulmonary complications, electrolyte disorders, and fever and sepsis. Key Features: Focuses on medical complications within major rehabilitation diagnostic groups Organized in two parts to allow readers to access information by condition or complication Provides clinical guidance for identifying and managing common medical complications encountered in rehabilitation settings Each rehabilitation topic chapter concludes with a summary ìTimelineî table detailing specific complications and likely occurrence A practical resource for physiatrists providing inpatient care or sharing call