Epidemiology and Characteristics of Cervical Spine Injury in Patients Presenting to a Regional Emergency Department

Purpose This study aims to establish the demographics and characteristics of patients with cervical spine injury (CSI) in an Irish cohort presenting to a regional emergency department. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients who underwent cervical spine computed tomography (CT) scans following trauma from January 2013 to July 2016. We looked at the mechanism of injury, mode of arrival to the emergency department, triage category, correlation between examination, and site of CSI and neurological status. Results Over the study period, 808 patients underwent CT scans of the cervical spine for potential CSI. The incidence of CSI in our cohort was 9.4% (n = 76). Approximately 70% (n = 53) were men. Falls (53%) and motor vehicle accidents (29%) were noted to be the more common mechanisms of injury in this cohort. The C2 region was the most common location for CSI. Only 7% (n = 5) of patients had documented neurology. Conclusion This study demonstrates the epidemiology and characteristics of CSI presenting in an Irish cohort. The incidence of CSI was found to be 9.4% with a male preponderance and falls being the most common cause of trauma.