The Influence of the Two World Wars on the Development of Rehabilitation for Spinal Cord Injuries in the United States and Great Britain

Development and Application of Three-Dimensional Bioprinting Scaffold in the Repair of Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a disabling and destructive central nervous system injury that has not yet been successfully treated at this stage. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has become a promising method to produce more biologically complex microstructures, which fabricate living neural constructs with anatomically accurate complex geometries and spatial distributions of neural stem cells, and this is critical in the treatment of SCI. With the development of 3D printing technology and the deepening of research, neural tissue engineering research using different printing methods, bio-inks, and cells to repair SCI has achieved certain results. Although satisfactory results have not yet been achieved, they have provided novel ideas for the clinical treatment of SCI. Considering the potential impact of 3D bioprinting technology on neural studies, this review focuses on 3D bioprinting methods widely used in SCI neural tissue engineering, and the latest technological applications of bioprinting of nerve tissues for the repair of SCI are discussed. In addition to introducing the recent progress, this work also describes the existing limitations and highlights emerging possibilities and future prospects in this field.

Post-stroke physical rehabilitation: a byproduct of military medical history and its veteran pioneers. A narrative medical history review

The world has been familiar with the diagnosis of stroke since the year 500 BC, as well as with the therapeutic value of physical exercise (early physical therapy). However, exercises were incorporated to promote recovery after stroke in the late 1920s, and matured into an orderly practice in the late 1940s. The synthesis of the reviewed literature suggests that this late date of emergence was, to a great extent, because of the development of relevant knowledge, specific (post-war) timing and the emergence of health professional pioneers that led this practice. This article documents the unique historical trajectory of these preconditions.

This brief review demonstrates how war pushed physical rehabilitation to the threshold of being able to provide neurological rehabilitation. It also discusses the contribution of the health professional pioneers to post-stroke rehabilitation, in light of today's more accepted approach of evidence-based practice.

Hydrogels as delivery systems for spinal cord injury regeneration

Spinal cord injury is extremely debilitating, both at physiological and psychological levels, changing completely the patient's lifestyle. The introduction of biomaterials has opened a new window to develop a therapeutic approach to induce regeneration after injury due to similarities with extracellular matrix. Particularly, hydrogels have the ability to support axonal growth and endogenous regeneration. Moreover, they can also act as potential matrixes in which to load and deliver therapeutic agents at injury site. In this review, we highlight some important characteristics to be considered when designing hydrogels as delivery systems (DS), such as rheology, mesh size, swelling, degradation, gelation temperature and surface charge. Additionally, affinity-based release systems, incorporation of nanoparticles, or ion-mediated interactions are also pondered. Overall, hydrogel DS aim to promote a sustained, controlled and prolonged release at injury site, allowing a targeted oriented action of the therapeutic agent that will be used.

Evidence-based position paper on Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) professional practice for persons with spinal cord injury. The European PRM position (UEMS PRM Section)

INTRODUCTION

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition and a challenge for every health system and every society. This EBPP represents the official position of the European Union through the UEMS PRM Section and designates the professional role of PRM physicians for people with SCI. The aim of the paper was to improve Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) physicians' professional practice for persons with SCI in order to improve their functionality, social and community reintegration, and to overcome activity limitations and/or participation restrictions.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A systematic review of the literature and a consensus procedure by means of a Delphi process have been performed involving the delegates of all European countries represented in the UEMS PRM Section.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

The systematic literature review is reported together with thirty-eight recommendations resulting from the Delphi procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

The professional role of PRM physicians who have expertise in the rehabilitation of SCI is to run rehabilitation programmes in multi-professional teams, working in an interdisciplinary way in a variety of settings to improve the functioning of people with SCI.