Effect of 5 different cervical collars on optic nerve sheath diameter: A randomized crossover trial

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Medical Devices
• Ultrasound Imaging

Background:

• Prolonged cervical collar use may negatively impact optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD).
• Different cervical collars may affect venous compression and intracranial pressure differently.
• The study investigated the impact of 5 cervical collars on ONSD in healthy volunteers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the influence of cervical spine immobilization using five distinct cervical collars on ONSD.
• To measure ONSD noninvasively using ultrasound in healthy volunteers under different collar conditions.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover trial involving 60 healthy adult volunteers.
• Optic nerve sheath thickness was measured using ultrasound in sagittal and transverse planes.
• ONSD measurements were taken at 5 and 20 minutes after applying each of the five randomly allocated cervical collars.

Main Results:

• All tested cervical collars, including AMBU and Philly, significantly increased ONSD compared to baseline.
• The Philly collar demonstrated the largest ONSD increase at both 5 and 20 minutes.
• The Necklite collar exhibited the smallest ONSD changes, with no significant difference from baseline.

Conclusions:

• Cervical collar placement significantly increases ONSD in healthy volunteers.
• No significant difference in ONSD was observed between 5 and 20-minute measurements.
• Necklite moldable neck brace is a potentially safer option when cervical immobilization is required.