Outcomes of Patients with Peripartum Paralysis with Physiatric Management

This prospective experimental study was conducted from 1st July 2008 to 31st December 2009. Out of 33 patients 29 patients completed 6 weeks scheduled programs. All the patients were housewives with the age from 17 to 45 years with the mean of 27.48 ± 7.20years. Presenting disability of the patients, pretreatment and post treatment Functional Independence Measures (FIM) scores of self-care, sphincter control, transfers and locomotion were recorded and compared. FIM scores for the normal population are-selfcare 42, sphincter control 14, transfer 21, locomotion 14 and the combined scores for the above four motor functions 91. The pre and post-treatment FIM scores of the patients studied were- self-care 15.45 ± 5.19 Vs 35.86 ± 7.67 (95% ±0.370 (95% CI-5.32 to -1.51), transfer 5.52±2.35 Vs 5.52 ±2.35 (95% CI-12.30 to -9.70), locomotion 3.24± 1.45 Vs 9.65 ±3.33 (95% CI-7.40 to -5.42) and the combined scores 34.86 ± 12.49 Vs 75.59 ± 13.95 (95% CI-45.22 to -36.22) with (p= 0.001) in all the mentioned motor functions that were examined. The study showed that the physiatric management is effective for patients with peripartum paralysis.