title: Tailor-made rehabilitation approach using multiple types of hybrid assistive limb robots for acute stroke patients: A pilot study.
abstract: This article investigated the feasibility of a tailor-made neurorehabilitation approach using multiple types of hybrid assistive limb (HAL) robots for acute stroke patients. We investigated the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent rehabilitation using the HAL robots. The Brunnstrom stage, Barthel index (BI), and functional independence measure (FIM) were evaluated at baseline and when patients were transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Scores were compared between the multiple-robot rehabilitation and single-robot rehabilitation groups. Nine hemiplegic acute stroke patients (five men and four women; mean age 59.4 ± 12.5 years; four hemorrhagic stroke and five ischemic stroke) underwent rehabilitation using multiple types of HAL robots for 19.4 ± 12.5 days, and 14 patients (six men and eight women; mean age 63.2 ± 13.9 years; nine hemorrhagic stroke and five ischemic stroke) underwent rehabilitation using a single type of HAL robot for 14.9 ± 8.9 days. The multiple-robot rehabilitation group showed significantly better outcomes in the Brunnstrom stage of the upper extremity, BI, and FIM scores. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first pilot study demonstrating the feasibility of rehabilitation using multiple exoskeleton robots. The tailor-made rehabilitation approach may be useful for the treatment of acute stroke.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.|b Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Fukuoka University Hospital , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morishita
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.|c Department of Neurology , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.|b Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Fukuoka University Hospital , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saita
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.|b Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Fukuoka University Hospital , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hyakutake
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.|b Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Fukuoka University Hospital , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: b Department of Rehabilitation Medicine , Fukuoka University Hospital , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Etsuji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shiota
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosurgery , Fukuoka University , Fukuoka , Japan.
authors.forename: Tooru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
keywords: hybrid assistive limb; neurorehabilitation; physical impairment; robot; stroke rehabilitation