Cervical Spine Clearance: A Review and Understanding of the Concepts

Abstract

Cervical spine injury is relatively rare, occurring in only 2% to 3% of patients with blunt trauma
who undergo imaging studies. However, timely and accurate recognition of cervical spine injury
is essential for the optimal management of patients with blunt trauma as subsequent morbidity includes
prolonged immobilization. Evaluation of cervical spine injuries should begin in the emergency
department and involves a combination of pediatric, trauma, orthopedic, and neurosurgeons for
deï¬nitive management. Knowing which patients are at highest risk for injuries will undoubtedly
influence decisions on how aggressively to pursue a potential cervical spine injury and can be achieved
by establishing a multidisciplinary team approach that provides cervical spine immobilization,
assessment, and clearance. Implementation of such guidelines will decrease time for cervical spine
clearance and incidence of missed injuries. In this article different aspects of cervical spine injuries
and cervical spine clearance protocols are reviewed.

Key words: cervical, injury, trauma, spine, vertebrae