Reeducation of the Upper Limb: A Case Study of a Multiple Trauma Patient, Who Suffered a Car Accident

The hand and the forearm are the main defensive organs and more than often they suffer serious traumatism in car accidents. Guiding these patients to rehabilitation areas is essential for the success of the process.

The present case refers to a multiple trauma patient who suffered a car accident which had great impact on his upper left limb. The patient was treated at Hospital de São José, and later transferred for the Centro de Medicina e Reabilitação do Sul to start his rehabilitation. The complete description of the process in Occupational Therapy/Hand Therapy starts here, with the intention of evaluating the impact of this type of intervention on a multiple trauma patient, by assessing the evolution of the open wound, scar, edema, sensitiveness, joint range, muscular activation, limb functionality as well as Instrumental and Daily Life Activities.

Despite improvements at motor and sensory levels, these were not as expected, as a result of the severity of the injuries and the late rehabilitation beginning. Nonetheless, at the functionality level the patient was able to achieve improvement levels that allowed a greater independence and a return to his job. A timely reference for treatment, in this case of multiple trauma in the upper limb, could have allowed for a greater success in the rehabilitation, at the same time, a more effective communication among all the structures involved in the case since the moment of the accident until rehabilitation would also have led to a faster closing of the wound, which would have a positive influence in the results. Although, and even with the late start, the Hand Therapy intervention was paramount for the patient’s independence.