Christian Vaillancourt, Manya Charette, Monica Taljaard, Kednapa Thavorn, Elizabeth Hall, Brent McLeod, Dean Fergusson, Jamie Brehaut, Ian Graham, Lisa Calder, Tim Ramsay, Peter Tugwell, Peter Kelly, Sheldon Cheskes, Refik Saskin, Amy Plint, Martin Osmond, Colin Macarthur, Sharon Straus, Paula Rochon, Denis Prud'homme, Simone Dahrouge, Susan Marlin, Ian G Stiell
BACKGROUND: Each year, half a million patients with a potential neck (c-spine) injury are transported to Ontario emergency departments (EDs). Less than 1.0% (1/100) of these patients have a neck bone fracture. Even less (1/200, 0.5%) have a spinal cord injury or nerve damage. Currently, paramedics transport all trauma victims (with or without an injury) by ambulance using a backboard, cervical collar, and head immobilizers. Importantly, prolonged immobilization is often unnecessary; it causes patient discomfort and pain, decreases community access to paramedics, contributes to ED crowding, and is very costly...
June 1, 2020: JMIR Research Protocols