The triad of left hemiplegia, hemihypesthesia, and homonymous hemianopsia: implications for rehabilitation

Patients with carotid cerebrovascular disorder can be categorized as having either right hemiplegia with various degrees of aphasia, left hemiplegia with hemihypesthesia, or homonymous hemianopsia, or the triad of left hemiplegia, hemihypesthesia and homonymous hemianopsia. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional performance of patients with each type of carotid cerebrovascular disorder before and 1 year after comprehensive rehabilitation aimed at improving communication and/or functional skills. Performance was measured using both the Barthel Index and Williams Drawing Test. On average, patients with the triad of neurologic deficits started and finished with poorer functional performance than the other patients. However, the average gain in functional scores over time was similar for all groups.