Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a progressive neuromuscular syndrome characterized by symptoms of weakness, fatigue, pain in muscles and joints, and breathing and swallowing difficulties. Survivors of poliomyelitis experience it many years after their initial infection. Although the etiology for these symptoms is unclear, it may be due to motor unit dysfunction manifested by deterioration of the peripheral axons and neuromuscular junction, probably as result of overwork. An estimated 60% of the over 640,000 paralytic polio survivors in the U.S. may suffer from the late effects of polio. Their physical and functional rehabilitation care presents a challenge for practitioners in all disciplines. To evaluate these symptoms, a comprehensive assessment must be done, as frequently PPS is a diagnosis of exclusion. Care of the patient with PPS is best carried out by an interdisciplinary team of rehabilitation specialists. This article reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, characteristics, assessment, and rehabilitation care of the patient with PPS.

Uneven distribution of severity and type of wounds among groups, with greatest percentage of large wounds in TM group. Larger wounds consume more resources. TM is a useful communication tool in wound management but with limited power when randomization does not include wound size or type. Two important benchmarks were established for home care. First, it took 51 days, on average, to heal or improve PrUs and 34 days to heal or improve surgical wounds regardless of group. Second, nearly 90% of wounds improved or healed.

SummaryThis paper reviews our experience with rectal probe electroejaculation (RPE) which is part of a larger effort to determine the correlates of successful ejaculation and fertility in SCI men. RPE is performed in the outpatient clinic using specially designed rectal probes. Over the past 18 months, we have attempted RPE on 38 occasions in 12 subjects (eight paraplegics and four quadriplegics) with an age range of 23-38 years and 0'5-18 years since onset of injury. Anterograde ejaculation occurred in nine subjects with improvement in percent motility and total live sperm count on repeated stimulations in five subjects. Significant retrograde ejaculation occurred in one person and sperm acceptable for artificial insemination (Al) was obtained from four subjects. The major side effects were mild dysrefiexia (three subjects) and disruption of a normal bowel program (one subject). We conclude that RPE is a safe, relatively brief outpatient procedure and, with repeated stimulations, has a good potential for producing sperm acceptable for AI in selected patients.