“Medical rehabilitation is generally interpreted as a part of medicine that becomes
relevant when prevention has failed or when the primary treatment of a disease or injury has resulted in incomplete recovery.
In many cases rehabilitation interventions start when the primary physician has nothing more to offer to the patient and often
the patient has to be transferred to another ward or hospital to make the first steps in a long process of rehabilitation.
This model of a sharp distinction between primary care and rehabilitation is outdated and carries many risks and disadvantages.
Patients with acute injuries, such as spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, hand trauma, multiple bone fractures and
myocardial infarcts nowadays receive rehabilitation interventions before surgery, during chemotherapy or radiotherapy and
immediately after injury or acute diseases. So do patients with conditions such as stroke, amputation, organ transplantation,
burn wounds and cancer treatment. All these activities can be included in acute medical rehabilitation which is aiming at
prevention of further physical and psychological deterioration, at improving functioning, treatment of common complications
such as joint contractures or pressure sores, at providing information on future perspectives and on managing discharge to
home or to further in- and outpatient facilities.
This handbook offers practical and concise information for physicians,
nurses and other health care professionals that are involved in the medical care for those patients that will need long-term
rehabilitation. The focus is on the first days and weeks after surgery, trauma or onset of disease.
Editors: H.J. Stam (chief),
H.M. Buyruk, J.L. Melvin and G. Stucki.
Please
return to this website for regular updates. In the meantime,
please feel free to contact us. Davutlar
sokak 13 Bodrum
48400 Muğla Turkey Phone: +90 542 894 86 84 E-mail:
hmbuyruk@vitalmedbodrum.com
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