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Cervical collar effect on pulmonary volumes in patients with trauma

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European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

According to Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) for trauma patients, a cervical collar should be applied initially. Patients on backboards with a cervical collar mostly complain of dyspnea and tend to take the collar off or roll themselves off the backboard. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of collar removal on lung volumes and dyspnea in patients with GCS 15.

Method

In a physiological study, 50 trauma patients with a GCS of 15 were enrolled. We measured lung volumes before and after the application of a cervical collar in patients.

Results

The average FEV1 in patients with and without a cervical collar was 89.08 ± 17.59 (% of predicted) and 98.26 ± 17.74 (% of predicted), respectively. The average FEF25–75 in patients with a cervical collar was 90.80 ± 26.07 (% of predicted) and in patients without a cervical collar it was 101.90 ± 23.06 (% of predicted). The average FEV1/FVC in patients with a cervical collar was 95.30 ± 18.55 % and in patients without a cervical collar it was 99.14 ± 18.12 %.

Discussion

The FEV1, FEV6, FEV1/FEV6, PEF, FEF25–75, FVC, FEV1/FVC parameters of pulmonary function tests were significantly increased after collar removal.

Conclusion

Cervical collar applications in trauma patients cause a significant decrease in lung capacity and spirometry parameters. Patients suffering from lung diseases and respiratory distress require special attention which means that the cervical collar should be removed as soon as cervical injuries are ruled out so as to avoid hypoxia.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    A. Ala, A. Taghizadieh & S. H. Miri

  2. Department of Emergency Medicine, Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    S. Shams-Vahdati

  3. Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    N. Kazemi

  4. Payam-e-noor University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

    S. R. Hodjati

  5. Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

    M. Jalilzadeh-Binazar

  6. Imam Reza Teaching Hospital, Golgasht Ave, Tabriz, Iran

    M. Jalilzadeh-Binazar

Authors
  1. A. Ala
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  2. S. Shams-Vahdati
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  3. A. Taghizadieh
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  4. S. H. Miri
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  5. N. Kazemi
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  6. S. R. Hodjati
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  7. M. Jalilzadeh-Binazar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Jalilzadeh-Binazar.

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Conflict of interest

Alireza Ala, Samad Shams-Vahdati, Ali Taghizadieh, Seyed Hasan Miri, Nastaran Kazemi, Seyedeh Robabeh Hodjati, and Mehran Jalilzadeh-Binazar declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Compliance with ethical requirements

Ethics Committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences with the No.5/4/6848 approved this study on 21 October 2012.

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Ala, A., Shams-Vahdati, S., Taghizadieh, A. et al. Cervical collar effect on pulmonary volumes in patients with trauma. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 42, 657–660 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-015-0565-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-015-0565-1

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