Cervical spine trauma

Overview

Spinal injury is uncommon following trauma but may have devastating consequences if not identified (Milby et al., 2008).

56% of traumatic spinal cord injury occurred following falls and 31% following land transport crashes in Australia during 2020-21 (AIHW, 2024).

Injuries to the spinal cord will result in varied clinical picture depending on the level of the injury. Breathing and ventilation may be affected with involvement of high cervical spinal level due to innervation of the diaphragm by the cervical nerves 3-5. This may manifest as inability to cough, hypoventilation, and respiratory distress.

Injury above the level of T6 may lead to neurogenic shock with bradycardia and hypotension.

Description

This resource kit provides the learner with the skills and knowledge to manage a patient with a suspected spinal cord injury.

Learning objectives

• Identify a clinical syndrome associated with cervical spine injury
• Perform emergent management of complications from cervical spinal cord injury

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