Cervical spine trauma

Abstract

Cervical spine injuries are common, occurring in approximately 2.4% of all blunt trauma patients. It is critical that cervical spine precautions are maintained in all of these patients. The accurate and prompt diagnosis of a cervical spine injury is paramount, because an unrecognized injury may lead to permanent neurologic sequelae. At the hospital, CT has been shown to be the most accurate and cost-effective screening modality. Early decompression has been associated with significantly improved long-term neurologic outcomes.