STUDY DESIGN This prospective, randomized study compares the efficacy of surgical and conservative treatments in patients with long-lasting cervical radicular pain. OBJECTIVES To compare the effects of surgery, physiotherapy, and a cervical collar. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There are no previous controlled outcome studies that have compared surgical treatment with nonsurgical treatment of ...

We developed a cervical collar (the Canadian collar) in response to the requirements of occupational therapists who manage arthritis patients. This orthosis overcomes the problems of heat and inadequate support common to many soft collars. The collar is constructed from nylon and polyvinyl chloride tubing, clipped together by nylon junctions, and from chin and breastplate supports of molded nyl...

Background Research has shown that up to 33% of pressure ulcers (PUs) acquired in hospitals result from the application of a medical device. Cervical collars (C-collars) have been implicated in causing PUs, due to the mechanical force they apply to the skin. In order to improve our understanding of collar-related PUs, the present study aimed to assess the biomechanical, biochemical, and microcl...

BACKGROUND/AIM Intubation must be rapidly performed with the utmost care in cervical trauma patients. We present the first comparison of GlideScope and an intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) regarding insertion and intubation times, intubation success rates, mucosal damage, need for optimization maneuvers, effects on hemodynamic changes, and postoperative minor complications in a simulated ...

STUDY DESIGN Meta-analytic costeffectiveness analysis. OBJECTIVE Our goal was to compare the results of different management strategies for trauma patients in whom the cervical spine was not clinically evaluable due to impaired consciousness, endotracheal intubation, or painful distracting injuries. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA We performed a structured literature review related to cervical s...

In patients with C2 rheumatoid pannus with spinal cord compression the treatment of choice is extensive surgery either through a transoral resection of the dens axis or a dorsal stabilisation, or both. We present a case of an 11-mm rheumatoid pannus with significant compression of the spinal cord, which failed surgical treatment with respect to dorsal stabilisation. Therefore, rigid cervical co...

STUDY OBJECTIVE Orotracheal intubation (OTI) is commonly used to establish a definitive airway in major trauma victims, with several different cervical spine immobilization techniques and laryngoscope blade types used. This experimental, randomized, crossover trial evaluated the effects of manual in-line stabilization and cervical collar immobilization and 3 different laryngoscope blades on cer...

STUDY DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to compare and contrast the restrictiveness and tissue-interface pressure (TIP) characteristics of 2 standard and 2 adjustable cervical collars. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA This study compared the restrictiveness and TIP of 4 commercially available cervical collars (2 standard and 2 adjustable). Adjustable collars o...

BACKGROUND The Bonfils intubation fibrescope (BIF), a rigid, straight and reusable fibreoptic device, is being used increasingly to facilitate endotracheal intubation after direct laryngoscopy has failed. We tested the hypothesis that, with the BIF compared to direct laryngoscopy, the rate of failed endotracheal intubation could be reduced in patients with a difficult airway, simulated by means...

Hemangiomas that arise in cervical esophagus are extremely rare, representing 3.3% of all benign esophageal tumors. Although endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and potassium titanyl phosphate/yttrium aluminum garnet (KTP/YAG) laser therapy have been used with success for small tumors, the safety and efficacy in the case of large tumors remains uncertain. We report the successful resection of ce...