[Long-term care of polytraumatized patients, requirements for rehabilitation management]

The challenge in the rehabilitation of polytraumatized people is the lengthy path to the best possible recovery, which requires patience on the part of the person undergoing rehabilitation as well as continuous support. The aim of this analysis is to identify specific factors and times that are important in the rehabilitation process.

A total of 50 documented courses of rehabilitation management with 214 course documentations were evaluated. Problems in the course and measures taken were clustered for statistical evaluation.

The patient population was similar to that of the Trauma Register of the German Society of Trauma Surgery (TR-DGU). The start of care was on average 200 days after the accident. In the initial period 4-5 months after the accident, medical and technical measures, especially obtaining second opinions, predominated in 78% of cases, further hospitalizations in 42% and further medical rehabilitation measures in 54%. Problems of occupational participation became relevant 11-12 months after the accident. Social rehabilitation management came to the fore after 15-16 months.

In summary, rehabilitation after polytrauma requires a comprehensive, individually adapted concept that takes the physical, psychological and social aspects of recovery into account.