Objective: To describe functional outcomes following discharge from an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) in patients following epilepsy surgery, comparing laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) versus surgical resection for epilepsy. Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: Academic tertiary hospital. Participants: Eight patients who received LITT (n = 3) or surgical resection (n = 5) for epilepsy. Interventions: Acute inpatient rehabilitation. Main Outcome Measures: Functional independence measure (FIM), seizure incidence, discharge destination. Level of Evidence: IV. Results: The epilepsy cohort demonstrated a FIM change of 38.88 (vs. national average 29.55), average length of stay (LOS) of 15.13 days (vs. 13.38 days), and LOS efficiency was 3.4 (vs. 2.68). No patients in the epilepsy cohort were discharged to acute care hospital compared to a national average of 9.82%. Eighty-seven percent in the epilepsy cohort discharged to home (vs. 77%) and 12.5% to skilled nursing facility (vs. 11.90%). Between the subset who received LITT and those who received surgical resection, there was no statistically significant change in mean total FIM change (43.7 vs. 36), FIM efficiency (5.3 vs. 2.2), or FIM change in subset measures of memory (0.5 vs. 0.25) or problem solving (0 vs. 0.8). There was no statistical significance between groups in adverse events, including seizure. Conclusions: Outcome measures in this population appear to be consistent with national outcome measures for other IRF diagnoses. This suggests that acute inpatient rehabilitation should be considered after patients undergo surgical intervention for epilepsy. However, a larger sample size and controlled studies are necessary before generalizations can be made. In addition, no statistically significant functional difference was seen between patients who underwent LITT or surgical resection.

Background: In 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began to reduce payments to qualifying hospitals for 30-day readmission rates that were higher than predicted for specific diagnoses. The process was broadened to include skilled nursing facilities in 2018. It is reasonable to expect future expansion will include acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities. A pre-intervention quality improvement project from 2017 identified that patients admitted to an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) for the primary diagnosis of debility were readmitted within 30 days of discharge at a rate of 38%, which was nearly three times higher than the next most readmitted diagnosis. A literature review identified rapid primary care provider (PCP) outpatient follow up as a worthy intervention to reduce readmissions. Objectives: Over a six-month intervention period, we attempted to achieve a reduction in 30-day readmission rates in the debility population of an IRF by scheduling PCP follow-ups within seven business days after discharge. Results: Of those that received the intervention, 7% were readmitted (P=0.018). Of those who did not receive the intervention, 56% were readmitted. Conclusion: The adoption of PCP follow-up within seven business days of discharge may lower the 30-day readmission rate for patients admitted to IRF with a primary diagnosis of debility.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, with advanced age being one of the major predictors of poor prognosis. To replicate the mechanisms and multifaceted complexities of human TBI and develop prospective therapeutic treatments, various TBI animal models have been developed. These models have been essential in furthering our understanding of the pathophysiology and biochemical effects on brain mechanisms following TBI. Despite these advances, translating preclinical results to clinical application, particularly in elderly individuals, continues to be challenging. This review aims to provide a clinical perspective, identifying relevant variables currently not replicated in TBI animal models, to potentially improve translation to clinical practice, especially as it applies to elderly populations. As background for this clinical perspective, we reviewed articles indexed on PubMed from 1970 to 2019 that used aged animal models for studying TBI. These studies examined end points relevant for clinical translation, such as neurocognitive effects, sensorimotor behavior, physiological mechanisms, and efficacy of neuroprotective therapies. However, compared with the higher incidence of TBI in older individuals, animal studies on the basic science of aging and TBI remain remarkably scarce. Moreover, a fundamental disconnect remains between experiments in animal models of TBI and successful translation of findings for treating the older TBI population. In this article, we aim to provide a clinical perspective on the unique attributes of TBI in older individuals and a critical appraisal of the research to date on TBI in aged animal models as well as recommendations for future studies.