Cervical collar effect on pulmonary volumes in patients with trauma.
BACKGROUND
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.


METHODS
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 %.


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


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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A
Ala
Department of Emergency Medicine, Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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S
Shams-Vahdati
Department of Emergency Medicine, Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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A
Taghizadieh
Department of Emergency Medicine, Imam Reza Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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SH
Miri
Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Kazemi
Payam-e-noor University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
S R
SR
Hodjati
Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. mehran.jalilzadeh@gmail.com.|Imam Reza Teaching Hospital, Golgasht Ave, Tabriz, Iran. mehran.jalilzadeh@gmail.com.
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Jalilzadeh-Binazar
D000328:Adult; D003422:Critical Care; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000628:therapy*
Cervical collar; Spirometry; Trauma