All patients involved in significant blunt trauma must be assumed to have an unstable injury to their spine. Immobilizations with full spinal precautions for prolonged periods creates difficulties in intensive care units. This guidance provides an overview of the standards for the management, specifically spinal clearance of such patients. The guidance has been documented as “ Spinal Clearance in the Trauma patient ”, issued by the British Orthopedic Association in 2008. It includes all unconscious trauma patients, except children under the age of 16.
The guidance addresses the following sections: A protocol for protection of the entire spine must be in place in all hospitals managing trauma patients at risk of spinal injury. Documentation of the neurological status is compulsory in all at-risk patients. This also includes a clinical examination of the whole spine. In a case where the…
