Evaluation of a new cervical immobilization/extrication device

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Trauma Care
• Biomechanical Engineering

Background:

• Cervical spine injuries require immobilization during patient extrication.
• The Philadelphia Red E.M. Collar is a new device designed to aid in this process.
• Its efficacy compared to traditional methods needs evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the immobilization efficacy of the Philadelphia Red E.M. Collar versus a short spine board.
• To assess the usability and utility of the collar by experienced Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel.

Main Methods:

• Part I: 25 volunteers underwent immobilization with the collar and short spine board, followed by maximal head motion testing (flexion, extension, rotation, abduction).
• Part II: 10 EMS personnel applied the collar to volunteers and rated its performance on ease of application, extrication, patient access, storage, and overall utility.
• Statistical analysis included Student's t-test.

Main Results:

• The collar demonstrated significantly superior immobilization in lateral and rotational movements (p < 0.001) compared to the short spine board.
• No significant difference was found in flexion or extension.
• EMS personnel provided favorable ratings for ease of application, extrication, patient access, and overall utility.

Conclusions:

• The Philadelphia Red E.M. Collar offers superior rotational and lateral cervical immobilization compared to short spine boards.
• The device is rated highly by EMS personnel for practical field application and utility.
• This collar represents a valuable adjunct for managing potentially neck-injured patients.