title: Metastatic paraplegia and functional outcomes: perspectives and limitations for rehabilitation care. Part 2.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify functional outcomes that could justify the need for a rehabilitation care program for patients with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) and paraplegia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Publications from 1950 to January 2010 selected from 3 databases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Original articles dealing with outcome data for functional status, pain, and bladder dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardized reading grid.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data are dominated by retrospective studies for even functional-related data, and studies from rehabilitation teams are rare. They report a functional evolution similar to a population with traumatic spinal cord injury for the first 3 months. Patients who were ambulatory before treatment retained their ability to walk, and patients who were nonambulatory before treatment could regain gait abilities. Data also showed a positive impact on pain and bladder and/or bowel dysfunction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By restricting physical medicine and rehabilitation therapeutic care to a short time (1-2mo), the progression margin is possible in the short term and implies a voluntary and active therapeutic care approach for patients with paraplegia after MESCC on the basis of a codified and standardized program with clinical indicators, as well as patients' comfort indicators.
authors.affiliation: Centre Mutualiste Neurologique Propara, Montpellier, France. c.fattal@languedoc-mutualite.fr
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fattal
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabbro
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rouays-Mabit
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verollet
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bauchet
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011379:Prognosis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000150:complications*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D013997:Time Factors; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation