A Proposal for Expansion of the Medical Specialty of Rehabilitation Medicine.

The workforce of the medical specialty of Rehabilitation Medicine (RM) in the UK is 10 times less than the European average for the specialty of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM). This can be explained partly by the difference in the scope of practice within the specialty between the UK and other European countries and USA. This opinion paper aims to compare the rehabilitation needs in chronic medical conditions and compare the scope of practice between countries within Europe and other regions of the world. The potential advantages of a broader remit specialty to improve rehabilitation care for patients by involving rehabilitation physicians in various medical conditions is explored. Recommendations have been put forward in the Rehabilitation Medicine Expansion Proposal (RMEP), which is likely to make the medical specialty of RM/ PRM more satisfying for the doctors working in the specialty and a more attractive career choice for those entering training in the specialty. There is a need for an international universal framework for the scope of the specialty to have a greater impact on improving the lives of those with chronic medical conditions.

Delayed diagnosis of hypopituitarism following severe traumatic brain injury.

The following case illustrates a 10-year delay in the diagnosis of hypopituitarism after severe traumatic brain injury in a 22-year-old man crushed by a forklift truck. His symptoms of mood changes, headaches and sleep pattern disturbances were attributed to post traumatic brain injury syndrome resulting in a delay in diagnosing the underlying pathology. Following recurrent episodes of symptomatic hyponatraemia, hypopituitarism was diagnosed. When pituitary hormone replacement treatment was given, there was clinical and biochemical improvement. There is currently very limited evidence in the literature to routinely screen patients post traumatic brain injury for pituitary dysfunction.

Traumatic cervical spinal cord injury with "negative" cervical spine CT scan.

A 46-year-old man fell four steps, striking his neck and having associated neck pain and discomfort. He was evaluated at a local emergency department and reported no neurological deficit but focal mid cervical tenderness. Radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scan were "negative" for cervical spine fracture, dislocation or pre-vertebral soft tissue swelling. He was discharged home in a cervical collar with a scheduled outpatient follow-up. Over the proceeding hours neurologic deterioration occurred, including hand and lower limb weakness with the inability to urinate. The patient returned to the local emergency room and was transferred to a tertiary care hospital where examination revealed C5ASIAB deficits. Repeat high resolution CT scan of the cervical spine with reformatted images was unremarkable for osseous fractures except some loss of definition in the posterior cervical musculature. Emergency magnetic resonance imaging MRI revealed a subluxation of C5/6 right facet (not evident on CT) with disruption of the posterior longitudinal ligament, ligamentum flavum, and disc space with abnormal T2 weighted spinal cord hyperintense signal at C5/6. He underwent emergency C5-C6 anterior and posterior decompression and fusion. One week later an examination showed improved C5ASIAD. This case reveals the difficulty of assessing the cervical spine for instability and potential limitations of current management schemes.

Injudicious antibiotic use leading to fulminating Clostridium difficile infection: a case report.

The case illustrates the myriad of fulminating complications due to Clostridium difficile infection in a previously healthy individual without any risk factors. Community acquired Clostridium difficile infection can occur even many weeks after the course of broad spectrum antibiotics. There is no definitive pattern or guidelines to predict who would develop the fulminating complications.