For many years, widespread spinal immobilization has been commonplace among blunt trauma patients in a prehospital setting, despite an absence of probable spinal injury. In fact, since the introduction of prehospital trauma life support (PHTLS), 89.4% of all trauma patients transported to the emergency department by ambulance have some form of cervical spine control, compared to 2.1% of patients prior to PHTLS (Kon Jin, Goslings & Ponsen). According to Kon Jin, Goslings & Ponsen (2013), “the reason for applying such a broad criterion for prehospital immobilization is the fear of missing injury to the spine, which can potentially have drastic consequences for both the patient and medical personnel.” Some prehospital care providers even admit to immobilizing patients without evidence of spinal injury …show more content…
However, Boland, Satterlee, & Jansen (2014) suggest that in the case of low-level falls with hip injury in the elderly, this criterion should be eliminated. The purpose of the study was as follows: “because the elderly are at increased risk of hip fracture from low-level falls, and are also particularly susceptible to the discomfort and morbidity associated with immobilization, the prevalence of cervical spine (c-spine) fracture in this patient population was examined” (Boland, Satterlee & Jansen). After evaluating 1,394 patients, the study concluded that c-spine fracture is extremely rare in elderly patients who sustain a hip fracture that results from a low-level fall. When c-spine injury does occur, it appears to be in conjunction with other known predictors of spinal injury besides the distracting injury (Boland, Satterlee & Jansen). Because the elderly population is more susceptible to isolated hip injuries, and also to the discomfort of full spinal immobilization, this type of trauma should be specifically considered in the development of spinal clearance