Apulia

Scientific and hospital Center of Brindisi (BR)

The Brindisi Scientific Institute Eugenio Medea is the only Rehabilitation Hospital for Developmental Age in Apulia.

Officially accredited by Apulia Region (Ref. “Atto Dirigenziale n.328 del 26.11.2012 ai sensi dell’art.24 Legge Regionale n.8/2004 e ss.mm.ii”), it obtained the Quality Certification UNI EN ISO 9001 for clinical activity and scientific research from DNV-GL Agency.

The Institute is a Neurorehabilitation Unit and is equipped with 30 beds for inpatient activity and a variety of outpatients activities.

It hosts university internships for 1^st and 2^nd level Master courses, degree coures and graduate courses for Roma, Padua, Lecce and Bari Universities.

It is a training facility connected to the training network of the School of Specialisation in Child Neuropsychiatry of Bari University.

It is a PUNTO BIBLIOSAN. Our professionals access the library online service BIBLIOSAN, an integrated network of the libraries of Italian biomedical research Institutes.

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Clinical Area

Unit for Severe Disabilities in Developmental age and Young Adulthood (Developmental Neurology and Neurorehabilitation)

Activity

The Center performs highly specialized rehabilitation programs; it carries out diagnostic, therapeutical and rehabilitations pathways for the following pathologies:

• Movement disorders (outcome of prematurity and pre-perinatal suffering)
• Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD
• Psychiatric disorders in early childhood, primary and secondary neuropsychological disorders
• Outcome of brain lesions (brain injuries, brain tumors, post-anoxic or post-infective vascular lesions)
• Neurodegenerative patologies, metabolic and genetic diseases
• Inflammatory neurological diseases and  immunomediate diseases
• Neuromuscolar pathologies
• Rare diseases
• Neuro-ophtalmological  disorders and visual impairment
• Cerebral palsies
• Traumatic/ vascular/ inflammatory/neoplastic spinal cord diseases
• Spasticity: treatment of patients needing inoculation of botulinum toxin (including ultrasound-guided inoculation) or intrathecal baclofen therapy
• Patients with outcome of functional orthopedic surgery needing intensive rehabilitation, also in water in therapeutic pool
• Patients with outcome of functional neurosurgical interventions needing intensive rehabilitation
• Epileptic syndromes (Video EEG Long Term Monitoring - LTM)

 

External advice

External advice at Territorial Services and Brindisi Hospital for:

• Radiology and neuroradiology service
• Pneumology service
• Specialist advice in other areas

Acknowledgments

The Apulia Region recognized the Institute as:

• Regional Reference Center for the diagnosis and the treatment of cerebral palsy and severe brain injuries in developmenal age
• Regional Reference Center for the diagnosis and the treatment of ADHD
• Regional Reference Center for the diagnosis and the treatment of autism spectrum disorder in developmental age
• Regional Reference Center  for domotics and disability aids
• Reference 1st level Center for the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders (acknowledgment of Italian Association of Myology - AIM)

The Brindisi Center of Medea Institute is also nationally and regionally accredited for the treatment of many Rare Diseases.

Activities of major importance of the Unit

Clinical study of epilepsy through:

• Video-EEG-Long Term Monitoring
• Video-EEG-Polygraphy in wakefulness or sleep
• Management of Neurostimulator (vagus nerve stimulation – VNS) for drug-resistant epilepsy

Movement analysis Lab:

• Gait analysis
• Surface Electromyography
• Dinamic Ergospirometry (K4)

Clinical psychophysiology Lab (biofeedback and neurofeedback).

2^nd Level Neurophtalmology Service for developmental age:

• Optical Coherence Tomography - OCT of cornea, retina and optical nerve
• Visual evoked potentials (VEP), electroretinography (ERG), campimetry.

Genetic characterization of developmental disabilities (in collaboration with the Citogenetic and Molecular Genetics Lab of Bosisio Parini Center) and genetic counselling.

Disphagia Service

• Video laryngoscopy

2nd Level Audiological diagnostics:

• ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response), tonal infant audiometry, bioelectrical impedance analysis. 

Cardio-respiratoy monitoring of neuromuscular pathologies

• Global pneumological assessment
• Cardiological evaluation with ECG/Holter ECG/Ecocardiography

Chemodenervation treatments (Botulinum toxin), also ultrasound-guided.

Management of intrathecal infusion systems for spasticity (ITB).

Robot-assisted rehabilitation

• Armeo spring pediatric
• YouGrabber
• Gloreha Professional

Intensive hydrokinesitherapy treatment, following orthopedic surgery

CENTRO AUSILI (DISABILITY AIDS CENTER) - Documentation and counselling center on technology, autonomy and social inclusion

Rehabilitation activities

• Physiotherapy
• Neuromotor rehabilitation by advanced technologies
• Hydrokinesitherapy
• Speech therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Neuropsychological rehabilitation
• Neuropsychomotricity in developmental age
• Behavioral and psychological personalized treatments
• Pulmonary rehabilitation
• Intensive rehabilitation following functional orthopedic surgery, also in therapeutic tub
• Neurovisual rehabilitation
• Design and validation of aids and orthoses

Access

In-patient admissions

In-patient admissions are scheduled. The applications can be submitted by Specialized doctors (pediatricians, child neuropsychiatrist, neurologists, physiatrists, orthopedists, onco-hematologists.), by Territorial services, by Hospital Pediatric Units  and by the Institute's centers.
The applications must be sent -on the doctor's or hospital's headed paper- together with a report on the reason and the aims of the requested admission; they must be sent to the Medical Direction that will examinate them and put them in a waiting list.
The presence of an adult is mandatory for the whole hospital stay.

Visits and exams

Access to specialist clinics for visits and diagnostic tests is a paid service. Appointments can be made personally or by telephone, calling the Centro Unico Prenotazioni-CUP (Reservation Center), Tel. +39 0831 349321 from Monday to Friday, 08.30 to 12.30 pm, and 14.30 to 17.30.

Partnerships

• Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry - "Aldo Moro" University, Bari
• Department of Psychology - "Aldo Moro" University, Bari
• Department of Psychology - Salento Universiy, Lecce
• Department of Innovation Engineering (DII) - Salento University, Lecce
• Unit of Pediatric Gastroenterology - "Aldo Moro" University, Bari
• Miami Children’s Hospital - USA
• Psychology Laboratory - Salento University, Lecce
• Gruppo Italiano Paralisi Cerebrali Infantili (GIPCI) - Italian Group for Cerebral Palsy - Pierfranco e Luisa Mariani Foundation, Milan
• Coordinamento Regionale Malattie Rare - Regional Coordination for Rare Diseases -Agenzia Regionale Strategica per la Salute ed il Sociale - Apulia Region
• Unit of Pediatric Onco-hematology - V. Fazzi Hospital, Lecce - ASL Lecce
• Pediatric Unit - A. Perrino Hospital, Brindisi - ASL Brindisi
• Pediatric Hospital Giovanni XXII, Bari