A Wallenberg syndrome case for whom improvement of mental and physical functions was insufficient for return home

Abstract

[Purpose] To clarify the factors behind a case who had strong anxiety about returning home despite being largely independent in daily living behavior. [Subjects and Methods] A patient with Wallenberg syndrome due to medullary infarction of the pons, in addition to general physical therapy evaluations was evaluated weekly over about 150 days from hospital admission to discharge with the 10m walk test (1), and for feelings of self-efficacy (2), anxiety and depression (3), and condition-characteristic anxiety (4). [Results] Negative correlations were found between the 10m walk test and anxiety/state anxiety, and between feelings of self-efficacy and items 3 and 4, and a positive correlation was found between the 10m walk test and self-efficacy. In addition, the activities of daily living that the subject could perform increased with prolongation of the single leg standing time. [Conclusion] The results suggest that when cases don’t show enough improvement in physical and psychological abilities for discharge from hospital, it may be necessary to devise interventions focusing on psychological aspects and vestibular function.