Cervical Spine Immobilization Device for Emergency Response¹

Cervical spine injuries are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality each year in the United States [1]. In motor vehicle accidents requiring the vehicle to be towed, 33% of passengers will sustain a severe neck injury [2]. In the current standard of care, a cervical collar (c–collar) is used to stabilize a patient's cervical spine and head in a neutral position. However, in many cases, additional stabilization is required to properly constrain head and neck movement. These supplementary constraints include strapping the patient to a rigid plastic backboard and placing foam blocks on either side of the head. The noncompliant nature of the backboard can create localized pressure points on the patient's back, causing a variety of problems, such as tissue ischemia and ulcers [3]. The pressure exerted by the c-collar on the carotid arteries can lead to raised intracranial...