RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSCULAR TONE, MOVEMENT AND PERIARTICULAR NEW BONE-FORMATION IN POSTCOMA-UNAWARE (PC-U) PATIENTS

Forty-eight post-traumatic brain-injured patients in postcoma-unawaren ess (PC-U) state, are included in this study. All recovered consciousn ess at least 1 month after the accident. The muscular tone and movemen t of all limbs was examined. At least two X-rays of the big joints wer e taken. Periarticular new bone formation appeared in 26 patients. Thi s heterotopic ossification occurs in severely injured patients, primar ily in proximal joints of the upper and lower extremities. Their aetio logy in brain injury is unknown. Risk factors include prolonged coma, tone and movements in the involved extremity, and associated fractures . We found that the appearance of periarticular new bone formation had a close correlation with pathological movement (paresis or plegia), a borderline correlation with hypertonus, and no correlation with hypot onus or with associated fractures.