Early assessment of functional capacity in patients after brain neoplasm surgery

Background. Brain tumors pose a great therapeutic problem because they often lead to disorders of basic functions and disability. Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess functional capacity in patients after brain tumor surgery, determine the areas of functional capacity deficits on the day of discharge, and check whether there is a correlation between individual patients' assessment scales. Material and Methods. The study was conducted at a university neurosurgery and neurotraumatology clinic and department and involved 46 patients who had had brain tumor surgery. Both observation and numerical scoring were used. The Functional Capacity Scale, Karnofsky Performance Scale, "Repty" Functional Index, and the Glasgow Outcome Score were used. Results and Conclusions. At discharge, most patients were independent with regard to functional capacity. Some deficits were observed with regard to satisfying physiological needs, personal hygiene activities, and experiencing considerable pain. The assessment scales significantly correlated with one another.