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Fracture of the cervical spine
Injury(1985) 16.509-510
Printedin GreatBritain
509
Abstracts INJURIES OF THE HEAD AND SPINE Diffuse axonal injuries In 635 necropsies on patients
with fatal head injuries not caused by missiles, 82 brains showed diffuse axonal injuries; in 13 cases the injury resulted from falls from considerably more than the victims’ own heights. Persons falling from their own heights, i.e. slipping or falling over from the erect posture, do not suffer diffuse axonal injuries. Adams J. H., Doyle D., Graham D. I., Lawrence A. E. and McLellan D. R. (1984) Diffuse axonal injuries in head injuries caused by a fall. Lancet ii, 1420. Fracture
of the cervical
recovery within 4 days. Moulson A. M. (1984) Blast injury of the lungs due to lightning. Br. Med. J. 289, 1270. Radiography
after closed chest injury
The authors’ experience of 1178 patients whose chests were radiographed after closed injury showed that oblique views that showed fractures of ribs not shown by posteroanterior views did not influence the treatment of the patients concerned. Danner J., Eyes B. E. and Kumar K. (1984) Oblique rib views after blunt chest trauma; an unnecessary routine? Br. Med. J. 289, 1271.
spine
Eighteen patients with fractures mainly at C6 and C7 levels were studied. Eight of the injuries were caused by trivial accidents; two patients were not previously recognized as having ankylosing spondyhtis. Those patients whose fracture line ran through the disc space had significantly less neurological injury and a much better prognosis. All the patients with fractures through the body died after an average interval of 6 months. The reason for this disparity is not known, but it is suggested that the incidents of spinal epidural haematomas could be an important if unproved factor. Harding J. R., McCall Iain W.. Park W. M. and Jones B. J. (1085) Fracture of the cervical spine in ankylosing spondylitis. Br. 1. Radio/. Guidelines for skull radiography
The guidelines for radiography of the skull after injury of the head are formulated by the Royal College of Radiologists and were applied in the Casualty Department of a big teaching hospital. The number of radiographs of the skull fell by 51 per cent. The number of patients admitted after head injury was unchanged. There were no unfortunate effects from the application of the guidelines. Fowkes F. G. R., Evans R. C., Williams L. A., Gehlbach S. H., Cooke B. R. B. and Roberts C. J. (1984) Implementation of guidelines for the use of skull radiographs in patients with head injuries. Lancetii, 795.
RECREATIONAL INJURIES Motorcycle
injuries in children
In 2 years 24 children under 16 suffered injuries from motorcycling off the road. Most of these affected the right lower limb and raise the question of whether these sporting activities should be controlled or forbidden. Sherman K. and MacKinnin J. (1984) Motorcycling injuries in children. Br. Med. J. 289. 877. BMX injuries
Twenty-three boys were injured while riding BMXs during a period of 5 weeks. Thirteen were injured during normal cycling. Only one was known to have been wearing protective garments. Soysa S. M., Grover M. L. and McDonald P. J. (1984) BMX bike injuries: the latest epidemic. Br. Med. J. 289,960. BMX injuries In 40 days 100 children attended
injuries sustained of these injuries Illingworth C. bikes. Br. Med.
a casualty department with while riding the so-called BMX. Nearly half resulted from stunts. M. (1984) Injuries to children riding BMX J. 289, 256.
ORGANIZATION AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION The trauma team
Vocal cord paralysis
Sudden hyperextension of the neck of a 65year-old woman was followed by brief unconsciousness, paralysis of both sixth cranial nerves. stridor and weak phonation. The paralysis persisted. Robertson S. C., Todd G. B. and Lobb M. (1984) Bilateral vocal cord paralysis due to whiplash injury. Br. Med. J. 288, 1876.
THORACIC AND ABDOMINAL INJURIES Blast injury
The victim was unconscious for a few minutes but recovered sufficiently to walk home. Some hours later his breathing became laboured and he developed surgical emphysema of the chest wall, with widespread crepitations in the lungs, which showed patchy consolidation all over. He made a full
The trauma team is comparable with a cardiac arrest team in that it is available at any time to take over from the casualty staff the resuscitation and further treatment of seriously injured persons. The members are registrars in general and orthopaedic surgery and anaesthetics. Spencer J. D. (1985) Why do our hospitals not make more use of the concept of a trauma team? Br. Med. J. 290, 136. Fractured
neck of femur
Two hundred and sixteen persons with fractures of the necks of their femurs spent 5167 days in a hospital providing acute care: 13 per cent of those days were spent awaiting operation or being rendered fit for it, 51 per cent in recovering from uncomplicated operations and only 2 per cent in the treatment of medical and surgical complications, but 28 per cent were spent in awaiting discharge after treatment had finished.
Printedin GreatBritain
509
Abstracts INJURIES OF THE HEAD AND SPINE Diffuse axonal injuries In 635 necropsies on patients
with fatal head injuries not caused by missiles, 82 brains showed diffuse axonal injuries; in 13 cases the injury resulted from falls from considerably more than the victims’ own heights. Persons falling from their own heights, i.e. slipping or falling over from the erect posture, do not suffer diffuse axonal injuries. Adams J. H., Doyle D., Graham D. I., Lawrence A. E. and McLellan D. R. (1984) Diffuse axonal injuries in head injuries caused by a fall. Lancet ii, 1420. Fracture
of the cervical
recovery within 4 days. Moulson A. M. (1984) Blast injury of the lungs due to lightning. Br. Med. J. 289, 1270. Radiography
after closed chest injury
The authors’ experience of 1178 patients whose chests were radiographed after closed injury showed that oblique views that showed fractures of ribs not shown by posteroanterior views did not influence the treatment of the patients concerned. Danner J., Eyes B. E. and Kumar K. (1984) Oblique rib views after blunt chest trauma; an unnecessary routine? Br. Med. J. 289, 1271.
spine
Eighteen patients with fractures mainly at C6 and C7 levels were studied. Eight of the injuries were caused by trivial accidents; two patients were not previously recognized as having ankylosing spondyhtis. Those patients whose fracture line ran through the disc space had significantly less neurological injury and a much better prognosis. All the patients with fractures through the body died after an average interval of 6 months. The reason for this disparity is not known, but it is suggested that the incidents of spinal epidural haematomas could be an important if unproved factor. Harding J. R., McCall Iain W.. Park W. M. and Jones B. J. (1085) Fracture of the cervical spine in ankylosing spondylitis. Br. 1. Radio/. Guidelines for skull radiography
The guidelines for radiography of the skull after injury of the head are formulated by the Royal College of Radiologists and were applied in the Casualty Department of a big teaching hospital. The number of radiographs of the skull fell by 51 per cent. The number of patients admitted after head injury was unchanged. There were no unfortunate effects from the application of the guidelines. Fowkes F. G. R., Evans R. C., Williams L. A., Gehlbach S. H., Cooke B. R. B. and Roberts C. J. (1984) Implementation of guidelines for the use of skull radiographs in patients with head injuries. Lancetii, 795.
RECREATIONAL INJURIES Motorcycle
injuries in children
In 2 years 24 children under 16 suffered injuries from motorcycling off the road. Most of these affected the right lower limb and raise the question of whether these sporting activities should be controlled or forbidden. Sherman K. and MacKinnin J. (1984) Motorcycling injuries in children. Br. Med. J. 289. 877. BMX injuries
Twenty-three boys were injured while riding BMXs during a period of 5 weeks. Thirteen were injured during normal cycling. Only one was known to have been wearing protective garments. Soysa S. M., Grover M. L. and McDonald P. J. (1984) BMX bike injuries: the latest epidemic. Br. Med. J. 289,960. BMX injuries In 40 days 100 children attended
injuries sustained of these injuries Illingworth C. bikes. Br. Med.
a casualty department with while riding the so-called BMX. Nearly half resulted from stunts. M. (1984) Injuries to children riding BMX J. 289, 256.
ORGANIZATION AND ACCIDENT PREVENTION The trauma team
Vocal cord paralysis
Sudden hyperextension of the neck of a 65year-old woman was followed by brief unconsciousness, paralysis of both sixth cranial nerves. stridor and weak phonation. The paralysis persisted. Robertson S. C., Todd G. B. and Lobb M. (1984) Bilateral vocal cord paralysis due to whiplash injury. Br. Med. J. 288, 1876.
THORACIC AND ABDOMINAL INJURIES Blast injury
The victim was unconscious for a few minutes but recovered sufficiently to walk home. Some hours later his breathing became laboured and he developed surgical emphysema of the chest wall, with widespread crepitations in the lungs, which showed patchy consolidation all over. He made a full
The trauma team is comparable with a cardiac arrest team in that it is available at any time to take over from the casualty staff the resuscitation and further treatment of seriously injured persons. The members are registrars in general and orthopaedic surgery and anaesthetics. Spencer J. D. (1985) Why do our hospitals not make more use of the concept of a trauma team? Br. Med. J. 290, 136. Fractured
neck of femur
Two hundred and sixteen persons with fractures of the necks of their femurs spent 5167 days in a hospital providing acute care: 13 per cent of those days were spent awaiting operation or being rendered fit for it, 51 per cent in recovering from uncomplicated operations and only 2 per cent in the treatment of medical and surgical complications, but 28 per cent were spent in awaiting discharge after treatment had finished.