Patient preferences for reconstructive interventions of the upper limb in tetraplegia

Subjects with an SCI suffer from many health problems such as pain, spacticity, pressure sores, urinary tract infections, etc. However, despite these health problems, the satisfaction with life as a whole of subjects with SCI living in the community does not differ significantly from the life satisfaction of a population group, as demonstrated by Post et al. The results of studies carried out by Post et al and Francescini showed that in SCI the levels of social and psychological functioning and the degree of autonomy are more important predictors of life satisfaction and quality of life than the seriousness of the injury. However, these studies also showed that subjects with tetraplegia, related to impairment of the upper extremities (UE), are less satisfied with self-care ability and also have an inferior degree of autonomy, which has a negative impact on satisfaction and quality of life. In this respect, treatment of the UE in subjects with a cervical SCI is of utmost importance.