Feedback on C-Spine

[Guest guest]

After getting back on the server, after a mysterious disappearance, and now reading the info on this call, full spinal precautions (reduction in movement, immobilization, or whatever you call it) was in definite order.

First of all, from all of my instruction and the standard of care, any evidence or complaint of trauma from the shoulders up should be treated as a spinal injury, especially the c-spine.

Secondly, I had a call a number of years ago that to this day stays with me. I responded to an injury at a football game, where a player(Jr. High age) was involved in a play where he at first complained of neck pain. He too was assisted off the field to the sidelines, where we found him, with helmet already removed. The coach was not to happy that we were called, as we were told to stay off the field, as not to interrupt the game. The patient when we got to him had not complaint of pain, only ringing in his ears. We carefully placed him on LSB, C-Collar, straps, and CID. We had good movement of all extremities, pulses, and sensation, i.e. no neuro deficits. This was true the entire treatment and transport. Patient was transported to local hospital. Later that night, one of my crew members called me and asked me if I would talk to the parents about the worse thing that could happen to a patient with a C1 FX !! I know we all know what the worse thing is with C1 - DEATH. I told the parents, and they raised major issue with the school about the coach not caring about their son. Needless to say, the coach was fired on the spot.

I guess what I am saying about this is we can never know what could be injured inside the body. I can assure you, if I suspected C1 fx, there would have been a helicopter on the 50 yard line, coach or no coach, game or no game. I am also a football official, I can assure you games can continue, life lost cannot.

Ozenberger

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