Center of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine

Center of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine is an integral part of a multidisciplinary Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VUH SK). This allows to ensure the accessibility and continuity of all stages of rehabilitation for every patient in a single medical institution.

 

The Center of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine provides all stages of rehabilitation (acute, subacute, outpatient and inpatient). It offers medical rehabilitation services to patients after various, often severe conditions:  diseases and/or injuries,  followed by complications, activity limitations and participation restriction, which in turn leads to severe disorders of biopsychosocial functions and decreased quality of life.

It is the first Center of Rehabilitation in the Baltic States, established in the University Hospital in 1991. In 2009, the VUH SK Center of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine was approved and certified by the European Union of Medical Specialties (UEMS) and the European Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Board (European PRM Board) as a science and training center corresponding to the European Union standards.

Currently there are 16 PRM physicians who have passed the professional exam organised by the European PRM Board.

The Center provides four PRM programmes accredited by the UEMS PRM Section:

• PRM programme for patients with spinal cord injury;
• PRM programme for patients after stroke;
• PRM programme for patient after hip and knee arthroplasty;
• PRM programme for patients with low back pain and lumbo-sacral radiculopathy.

The Center also develops PRM programmes for patients with rare diseases, e.g., Huntington’s disease, pulmonary hypertension.

 

Medical rehabilitation services are provided by a competent, highly qualified team of rehabilitation specialists. The practice builds upon years of both local and international experience, evidence-based medical practice and the latest scientific achievements.

The Center of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine consists of four departments, which provide medical rehabilitation services: there are three Departments of  In-Patient Rehabilitation and  the Department of Out-patient Rehabilitation.

The 1st Department of Inpatient Rehabilitation was opened for patients with severe physical disabilities in 1993. It is the first rehabilitation department in Lithuania employing multi- and interdisciplinary rehabilitation model.

Rehabilitation services are provided for patients in a serious but stable condition, with a complicated course of disease, multiple comorbidities.  It focuses on Rehabilitation after severe head or spinal injuries or illnesses, strokes, multiple sclerosis, polyneuropathies, Parkinson‘s and other diseases of the nervous system, and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, all of which can cause significant and long-term disorders of biopsychosocial function.

The 2nd Department of Inpatient Rehabilitation opened its doors in 1999 – considering the growing demand for inpatient rehabilitation services.

Rehabilitation services are provided for patients after severe head or spinal injuries, cerebrovascular disorders, patients suffering from meningitis, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, polyneuropathies, Parkinson‘s, Huntington’s and other diseases of the nervous system,  disorders of the musculoskeletal system, after orthopaedic surgeries as well as for patients with prominent cardiovascular disorders, pulmonary hypertension, after performed cardiovascular surgery.

The 3th Department of Inpatient Rehabilitation is located at Vilties str. 2, Naujieji Valkininkai, Varėna district, a bit further away from the main building of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos and has a deep tradition as well as many years of experience in providing rehabilitation services to patients with cardiovascular pathology.

The department was established in 1973 (at the time it was Valkininkai Sanatorium) to rehabilitate patients after cardiac surgery, as a result of the rapid development of the cardiac surgery service availability. In 2010, Valkininkai Sanatorium became an integral part of the Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos. The advantages of the department are extensive experience in the rehabilitation of cardiological and cardiac surgical patients (about 1000 patients per year). The program is designed to restore impaired cardiovascular and other systems of the body, prevent further progression and possible complications of the disease, restore work capacity and improve the patient's quality of life after recurrent myocardial infarction, interventional cardiovascular procedures, aorto-vascular reconstructive surgeries, artificial ventricular implants, heart transplants. Since 2014, rehabilitation has also been provided for the patients with the disorders of musculoskeletal system, also after performed orthopaedic surgeries.

Rehabilitation services have been provided at the Department of Outpatient Rehabilitation since the establishment of the Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos. At the present time the department provides modern rehabilitation care for patients from VUH SK inpatient departments, VUH SK Consultation Clinic, VUH SK Family Medicine Center, as well as referred from other healthcare institutions.

The department utilises a broad spectrum of rehabilitation procedures and methods:

• Diagnostic tools (instrumental functional assessment) – izokinetic dinamometry (Biodex), spiroergometry (Oxycon mobile), myotonometry, complex assessement of spine and paravertebral tissues (Insight subluxation station), movement analysis (SIMI motion analysis system), pelvic floor muscles function impairment evaluation using biofeedback.

• Physiotherapy:

o in a gym; performed individually, as well as in small groups
o in a  therapeutic pool or pool with underwather traction system;
o using RedCord equipment;
o using Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) equipment;
o using spinal traction equipment

•  Occupational therapy. Therapy with physical modalities, such as TENS, heat, cryotherapy, laser therapy, ultrasound, magnetic fields, underwater massage, whirlpool bath, etc

•  Massage

• Individual consultation with a psychologist, group relaxation sessions;

• Consultations with speech and language therapist, VocaStim therapy;

• Consultations with social worker;

• Patient education sessions on ergonomics, back pain prevention, physical activity and other topics.