The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic intervention via liaison-psychiatry by a psychiatrist to the team rehabilitation for spinal cord-injured patients with mental disorders. Out of 652 spinal cord-injured patients who underwent rehabilitation during post-acute stages in our hospital from April 2000 to March 2006, 82 patients aged from 19 to 65 with mental disorders according to the diagnostic criteria of DSM-IV-TR were selected. In order to assess the effectiveness of this comprehensive team approach, the outcomes of these 82 patients were compared with the outcomes of 82 control patients without mental disorders. As a result, there were no significant differences of the acquired BI (Barthel Index), FIM (Functional Independence Measure), and abilities of transfer between the two groups. In addition, 35 out of 82 patients went back to their home. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of liaison psychiatry in conducting the comprehensive team rehabilitation for spinal cord-injured patients with mental disorders.

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We experienced a difficult case which had multiple impairments caused by antiphospholipid syndrome. This disease is a thrombophilic disorder in which venous or arterial thrombosis, or both, may occur in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (e.g. anticardiolipin antibody, lupus anticoagulant). This disease is well demonstrated as a cause of ischemic stroke in young adults. But the optimal treatment of these patients is unclear, and their prognosis is not good. Antiphospholipid syndrome causes recurrent multiple ischemic strokes, induces severe impairments and the disturbance of various higher brain functions, and shows resistance against rehabilitation. To address these difficulties we should, as rehabilitation experts, conduct chronic disease-management with the cooperation of the neurologists, and devise a rehabilitation approach that takes into consideration the nature and severity of this disease. In other words, a diversified approach, which is characteristic to rehabilitation, is no less important than medical remedies in treating antiphospholipid syndrome patients.

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Key Note Speech : Development of the Dysphagia Rehabilitation…Junko FUJITANI 75

Indication and Limitation of Surgical Treatment for Dynamic Swallowing Disorders…Satoshi HORIGUCHI 79

Dysphagia and Aspiration Pneumonia, Difference and Similarity…Kenji TOBA, Shinichiro INOUE, Yuki BABA, Hiroshi HASEGAWA, Shinji TERAMOTO 82

A Suggestion from Nutrition Support Team(NST)Point of View…Michio MARUYAMA 88

The Role of the Oral Health Care Service in Long Term Care Insurance in Japan…Koichiro UEDA 92

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