[Peripheral neuropathy rehabilitation. Indications for a diagnostic-rehabilitation approach]

The increased incidence of occupational neurological disorders has led, in recent years, to the development of new specialties in neurorehabilitation for the recovery of deficits of central nervous system (CNS) lesions. This same development has not occurred for damage to the peripheral nervous system (PNS), the treatment of which is still based on empirically applied rehabilitation techniques. This is due to the fact that the peripheral neuropathies comprise a vast groups of disorders caused by a huge variety of etiological agents; in order to identify their exact cause and thus be able to differentiate rehabilitation techniques it is necessary to classify them. The aim of this study is to summarize the main rehabilitation strategies, pharmacological treatments and surgical techniques used most effectively in the management of peripheral neuropathies in order to develop a therapeutic rehabilitation strategy for each of the different forms and lay the bases for the development of specific guidelines.