The Spine injury best practices guidelines were developed from evidence-based publications and input from leaders in neurosurgery and orthopedics, according to a March 4 news release from the college. They provide trauma centers with a guide for evaluating and managing adult patients.
Recommendations touch on the epidemiology of spinal injury, classification of spine injuries and how to implement them into trauma center protocols.
“Fractures of the spinal column represent a small proportion of all fractures from traumatic injury, with an incidence ranging from 4 to 23 percent,” the authors write in the guidelines. “However, their impact on the individual and the healthcare system is significant because of their potential for long-term disability, the associated health care consequences and costs.”
