Figure 1. Cervical spine CT demonstrates normal alignment without fracture in a patient who experienced a minor hyperflexion injury. Each year in the United States and Canada, more than 13 million patients are treated for injuries that put them at risk of injury to the cervical spine. Few of these patients have a cervical spine fracture or other serious injury to the neck. It has been common pr...

Dear Editors, Cervical collars are necessary to immobilise the cervical spine of patients with multiple trauma (1,2). This devise remains in situ until the radiographic cervical spine clearance is completed (2). A 29-year-old male with multiple trauma and subdural haemorrhage admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) was selected for this case study. The patient had been taken to hospital by em...

Background Research has shown that up to 33% of pressure ulcers (PUs) acquired in hospitals result from the application of a medical device. Cervical collars (C-collars) have been implicated in causing PUs, due to the mechanical force they apply to the skin. In order to improve our understanding of collar-related PUs, the present study aimed to assess the biomechanical, biochemical, and microcl...

Application of cervical collars may reduce cervical spine movements but render tracheal intubation with a standard laryngoscope difficult if not impossible. We hypothesised that despite the presence of a Philadelphia Patriot cervical collar and with the patient's head taped to the trolley, tracheal intubation would be possible in 50 adult patients using the GlideScope and its dedicated stylet. ...

We reviewed 41 patients over the age of 65 years (mean 76.5) who had suffered cervical spine injuries, 12 of them with neurological deficit. Eleven patients died during treatment, mostly from respiratory disease. Seven patients were treated by surgical stabilisation, five by halo traction, and the rest by rigid collars or halo-vests. The cervical injury was missed at the first examination in fo...