Intro to PM&R 2023 – Individual Topic Sessions- Spinal Cord Injury-Intro to PMR 2023 Spinal Cord Injury

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The video transcript is a lecture by Dr. Susan Garstang, an attending PM&R (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) physician at the VA in Salt Lake City. She discusses why she chose to specialize in spinal cord injury and provides an overview of the complexity of the field. Dr. Garstang emphasizes the importance of working with cognitively intact spinal cord injury patients who are empowered and educated to direct their own care. She also highlights the unique physiology of spinal cord injury, particularly its impact on the autonomic nervous system.<br /><br />Dr. Garstang shares a presentation slide discussing the epidemiology of spinal cord injury, including the number of new cases per million, prevalence, average age, and etiology. She also provides information on life expectancy, employment rates, and different spinal cord injury syndromes. The lecture covers various medical management strategies for spinal cord injury, such as managing orthostasis, autonomic dysreflexia, respiratory issues, bladder and bowel management, skin care, and DVT prevention. Dr. Garstang mentions the use of assistive technology, such as exoskeletons, in the field of PM&R.<br /><br />Throughout the lecture, Dr. Garstang encourages medical students to get involved in the field of PM&R by volunteering at adaptive sports programs, joining PM&R interest groups, and engaging in research related to neuro rehabilitation and assistive technology. She also touches on the challenges in the field, such as limited resources and the need to advocate for patients with disabilities. Dr. Garstang concludes by highlighting the positive aspects of working in PM&R, such as helping patients regain quality of life and participating in their goal-oriented rehabilitation journey.

Keywords

Dr. Susan Garstang

PM&R physician

spinal cord injury

cognitive intact patients

autonomic nervous system

epidemiology

medical management strategies

assistive technology

challenges in PM&R