[Rehabilitation results after severe traumatic brain injury]

To assess the rehabilitation outcome after severe traumatic brain injury.

Retrospective evaluation of the rehabilitation process and prospective follow-up five years after discharge. Patients - Patients treated in 2013 at the Traumatic Brain Injury Unit, National Institute for Medical Rehabilitation were included in the study (n = 232).

Ninety-nine of 232 patients were treated with severe traumatic brain injury. Data were available for 66/99 patients (67%). Fifty patients (13 women and 37 men) were successfully contacted for follow-up (51%), three patients deceased. The mean age of the patients was 42 years (range: 22-72). The majority of them (36/50) was injured in traffic accidents. The mean duration of coma and post-traumatic amnesia were 19 (1-90) and 45 days (5-150), respectively. Patients were admitted for rehabilitation on the 44th (11-111) day after the injury and were rehabilitated for 95 days (10-335). Thirty-eight patients became independent at daily living activity during the rehabilitation period, and none during the follow-up. Two patients needed moderate and one a little help for the daily life. After successful rehabilitation 4 patients continued their higher education, 24 patients worked (six in sheltered, six in the original, 12 in other workplaces). Twenty-two patients did not have permanent jobs, two of whom were retired.

The majority of the patients were successfully reintegrated into society. More than half of the patients returned to work or continued their studies. These successes were greatly facilitated by the 40 years of experience and the multidisciplinary team working in the National Institute for Medical Rehabilitation.