A patient presents to your emergency room with a suspected traumatic cervical spine injury. He is wearing a cervical collar and is on a spine board. According to a recent study, which statement about different methods of removing the patient from the spine board is most likely true?
Immobilization of the spine in suspected spinal injury is a principle of trauma care. Early movement of a patient from a spine board to prevent pressure injuries is also a priority. For many years, ATLS teaching has been to log roll the patient off of a spine board. This also provides an opportunity for inspection and palpation of the patient’s back as part of the primary survey.
Recently, investigators questioned whether an alternative method, a lift-and-slide maneuver, would facilitate spine board removal with less movement of an unstable cervical spine injury. They created a three-column instability between C5 and C6 in five...