A Retrospective Study of Five Clinical Criteria and One Age Criterion for Selective Prehospital Spinal Immobilization

Abstract

In this retrospective study, a selective protocol based on clinical criteria instead of trauma mechanism showed 99.2% sensitivity for spinal fractures with or without spinal cord damage. Based on this study and the current controversy surrounding spinal immobilization, a prospective study should be considered to evaluate the five clinical criteria and one age criterion in the prehospital setting.