Neck collar used in treatment of victims of urban motorcycle accidents: over- or underprotection?
BACKGROUND
Cervical collar brace protection of the cervical spine at the scene of the incident is the first priority for emergency medical technicians treating patients who have sustained trauma. However, there is still controversy between over- or underprotection. The objective of this study was to survey the cervical spine injury of lightweight motorcycle accident victims and further evaluate the neck collar protection policy.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed patients who sustained lightweight motorcycle injuries, assumed to have been at a low velocity, with incidence of cervical spine damage, from a single medical center's trauma registration from 2008 to 2009. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those who were immobilized by cervical collar brace and those who were not.


RESULTS
Of the 8633 motorcycle crash victims, 63 patients had cervical spine injury. The average of the injury severity score in these patients was 14.31 ± 8.25. There was no significant correlation of cervical spine injury between the patients who had had the neck collar applied and those who had not (χ(2), P = .896). The length of stay in intensive care unit was longer in the patients who had the neck collar applied, but the total hospital length of stay was not statistically different to the patients who did not have the neck collar applied.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of cervical spinal injuries in the urban area lightweight motorcyclists is very low. Prehospital protocol for application of a cervical collar brace to people who have sustained a lightweight motorcycle accident in the urban area should be revised to avoid unnecessary restraint and possible complications.
Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. hsinglin2002@yahoo.com.tw
Hsing-Lin
HL
Lin
Wei-Che
WC
Lee
Chao-Wen
CW
Chen
Tsung-Ying
TY
Lin
Yuan-Chia
YC
Cheng
Yung-Sung
YS
Yeh
Yen-Ko
YK
Lin
Liang-Chi
LC
Kuo
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009049:Motorcycles; D009333:Neck; D011482:Protective Devices / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric