Download – Acute Cervical Spine Injury

This article covers the aspects of acute cervical spine injury that are relevant to anaesthetists. The anaesthetist’s involvement will range from participating in the resuscitation of patients with polytrauma to the provision of safe anaesthesia to allow surgical treatment for cervical spine or other injuries. The importance of early immobilization is emphasised and strategies used to ‘clear’ the cervical spine are described.

Abrie Theron and Pete Ford