Articles: spinal-injuries-diagnostic-imaging.
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Pediatric cervical spine (CSI) and blunt cerebrovascular injuries (BCVI) are challenging to evaluate as they are rare but carry high morbidity and mortality. CT scans are the traditional imaging modality to evaluate for CSI/BCVI, but involve radiation exposure and potential future increased risk of malignancy. Therefore, we present results from the implementation of a combined CSI/BCVI pediatric trauma clinical pathway to aid clinicians in their decision-making. ⋯ We included 358 patients: 209 pre-pathway and 149 post-pathway implementation. Patient mean age was 8.9 years and 61% were male (61% males). There were no significant differences in GCS, AIS, and ISS between pre and post pathway groups. Post pathway implementation saw reduced use of cervical spine CT, although this was not clinically significant (33% vs 31%, p = 0.74). However, cervical spine radiography use increased (9% vs 16%, p = 0.03), and there was also an increase in screening for BCVI injuries with higher use of CTA (5% vs 7%, p = 0.52). A total of 12 CSI and 3 BCVI were identified with no missed injuries. Provider adherence to the pathway was modest (54%). Conclusion Implementation of a combined CSI/BCVI clinical pathway for pediatric trauma patients increased screening radiography and did not miss any injuries. However, CT use did not significantly decrease and provider adherence was modest, supporting the need for further implementation analysis and larger studies to validate the pathway's sensitivity and specificity for CSI/BCVI.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Aug 2021
ReviewNeck Trauma: Cervical Spine, Seatbelt Sign, and Penetrating Palate Injuries.
Pediatric cervical spine, blunt cerebrovascular, and penetrating palate injuries are rare but potentially life-threatening injuries that demand immediate stabilization and treatment. Balancing the risk of a missed injury with radiation exposure and the need for sedation is critical in evaluating children for these injuries. ⋯ Careful risk stratification based on history, mechanism and examination is imperative to evaluate these injuries judiciously in the pediatric population. This article presents a review of the most up-to-date literature on pediatric neck trauma.
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Observational Study
Projected paediatric cervical spine imaging rates with application of NEXUS, Canadian C-Spine and PECARN clinical decision rules in a prospective Australian cohort.
Clinical decision rules (CDRs) are commonly used to guide imaging decisions in cervical spine injury (CSI) assessment despite limited evidence for their use in paediatric populations. We set out to determine CSI incidence, imaging rates and the frequency of previously identified CSI risk factors, and thus assess the projected impact on imaging rates if CDRs were strictly applied as a rule in our population. ⋯ CSIs were rare (0.5% of our cohort), however, 40% of children received imaging. CDRs have been designed to guide imaging decisions; if strictly applied as a rule for imaging, the CDRs assessed in this study would increase imaging rates. Projected rates differ considerably depending on the CDR applied. These findings highlight the need for a validated paediatric-specific cervical spine imaging CDR.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 2020
Epidemiology and Imaging Classification of Pediatric Cervical Spine Injuries: 12-Year Experience at a Level 1 Trauma Center.
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology and imaging characteristics of cervical spine injuries in children with blunt trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS. ⋯ CONCLUSION. Pediatric patients have high rates of upper cervical spine injuries, which tend to be distraction injuries that are frequently associated with avulsion fractures. Injury patterns in pediatric patients vary significantly by age, with patients younger than 3 years old being particularly prone to distraction type injuries.