Initial Trauma Management, Spine Precautions

Synonyms

Log-roll precautions; Spinal immobilization; Spinal precautions

Definition

To minimize the movement of the spinal column during rescue, transport, and initial assessment and management of a trauma patient with suspected spinal injury.

The presence of neurological symptoms including paraplegia and quadriplegia is presumptive evidence of a spinal cord injury associated with spinal column instability.

Spinal precautions are attained by in-line immobilization of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. This is achieved by placement of a cervical collar, strict adherence to log-rolling maneuvers whenever the patient is moved, and by complete immobilization on a long spinal board (backboard) for transport. Spinal precautions are aimed at avoiding secondary damage to the spinal cord by excessive bending or twisting in the presence of potentially unstable injuries to the spinal column.

Application

An unstable injury to the vertebral