title: Clinical decision rules and cervical spine injury in an elderly patient: a word of caution.
abstract: We report a case of a clinically significant cervical spine fracture in an elderly patient without midline cervical tenderness. Application of the NEXUS rule by the treating physicians ruled out the need for radiography. However, knowledge of the Canadian C-spine rule and clinical judgment prompted obtaining a three-view trauma series of the cervical spine and, when the patient's pain increased, a computed tomography scan of the cervical spine. A type III fracture of the dens was found. In review of the case it was recognized that application of the NEXUS rule for this patient was problematic regarding the assessment of mental status. Specifically, the treating physicians did not strictly adhere to the detailed explanations attached to the NEXUS criteria regarding mental status. Clinicians may wish to preferentially apply the Canadian rule for patients over the age of 64 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: McNamara
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed