Leanne Langhorn

Publications (3) View all

• Article: A critical review of the literature on early rehabilitation of patients with post-traumatic amnesia in acute care.

  Leanne Langhorn, Jens C Sorensen, Preben U Pedersen
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  ABSTRACT: To identify the effect of early rehabilitation of patients with post-traumatic amnesia in patients with traumatic brain injury, to review and critically assess evidence related to the timing of intervention and to identify the effect on outcome of a specific neurological rehabilitation in acute care. Up to 70% of patients with traumatic brain injury will experience post-traumatic amnesia. Although duration of post-traumatic amnesia is correlated negatively with outcome for patients with traumatic brain injury, there is limited evidence relating to what influence timing and effect may have on enhancing early rehabilitation patient outcomes. A critical literature review. Searches for systematic reviews were undertaken in Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, PSYC INFO and Neurotraume databases. The efficacy of intervention and timing was classified based on a hierarchy of study designs for questions about health care interventions based on soundness of design. Six reviews and 11 original studies were included and comprised the review. Many studies used weak designs and small sample size, thus limiting their ability to control confusing variables and outcomes. Few studies included papers with the information about timing and effect of early post-traumatic amnesia intervention. Only one study showed an effect of a reality orientation programme in acute care. Although there was no significant detail reported on the possibility of reducing the post-traumatic amnesia period, the study showed clinical relevance. This review highlights the limited evidence of the effect of early rehabilitation of patients with post-traumatic amnesia. Future research should be conducted to identify the effectiveness of early intervention. Although nurses are treating patients with post-traumatic amnesia without systematic assessment, the limited evidence available does little to direct nurses as to the best approach to start early rehabilitation of post-traumatic amnesia to promote good outcomes.
  Journal of Clinical Nursing 11/2010; 19(21-22):2959-69. · 1.12 Impact Factor
• Article: [Rehabilitation in brain injuries--contribution by the ward section].

  L Langhorn
  Sygeplejersken 07/1997; 97(23):19-23.
• Article: [Dysphagia--an overlooked problem in neurorehabilitation].

  Annette Kjaersgaard, Leanne Langhorn
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  ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the management of dysphagia in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and adjoining disorders during multidisciplinary neurorehabilitation in phase I and II in Denmark and abroad. The study was conducted as structured interviews at six outstanding international neurorehabilitation institutions and as a national questionnaire survey including five phase I neurointensive wards and two phase II neurorehabilitation institutions. Data from the study visits showed that the international clinics received patients with cuffed tracheostomy tubes, had 24-hour medical support, and semiintensive monitoring. Patients were treated by multidisciplinary teams and all were clinically and instrumentally examined for dysphagia. Data from the Danish questionnaire survey showed that the two neurorehabilitation institutions did not receive patients with cuffed tracheostomy tubes. Both institutions had 24-hour medical support, multidisciplinary teams and monitoring of saturation. Clinical and instrumental examinations of dysphagia were not systematic procedures in either phase I or II. The study demonstrates the need for clinical guidelines on the examination and treatment of dysphagia in patients with TBI and adjoining disorders within neurorehabilitation in phase I and II in Denmark. There is also a need to clarify the management of dysphagia in patients with cuffed tracheostomy tubes.
  Ugeskrift for laeger 02/2007; 169(3):220-3.