Search, rescue, and evacuation.

Structural collapse catastrophes are an increasingly greater threat as our population centers expand and as our nations's buildings and infrastructure age. Sophisticated search and rescue capabilities are being developed and deployed to prepare for these eventualities. To assure "successful" rescues, with optimal reduction of morbidity and mortality, an equally sophisticated medical capability is an essential component of any urban search and rescue entity.

High-yield roentgenographic criteria for cervical spine injuries.

All trauma patients undergoing cervical radiography at an urban referral teaching hospital emergency department during 12 consecutive months were analyzed for indications and results of cervical spine radiograph studies. Demographic characteristics of the study group were consistent with results in the literature (55% men, mean age, 27). Cases were reviewed for 27 commonly accepted indications in the literature for cervical spine studies under these circumstances. The following radiograph findings were considered as positive studies: fracture, subluxation, spondylolisthesis, straightening, spasm, foreign body, compression, fusion, narrowing, or soft tissue swelling. Seventeen percent of radiographs were positive. Motor vehicle accidents (P less than .009), a history of direct cervical trauma (P less than .002), loss of consciousness (P less than .001), cervical tenderness (P less than .05), and drug ingestion (P less than .08) were associated with or suggestive of positive radiographs. No patients wearing seatbelts had positive radiographs (P less than .001). Only 2.4% (18 of 749) of radiographic examinations revealed clinically significant findings, and no criteria were statistically correlated with clinically significant findings. While our study suggests up to two-thirds of radiographs might be deferred without missing a clinically significant injury using these high-yield criteria, a flexible approach to cervical roentgenographs is justified pending confirmation of our results by a large, multicenter, prospective study currently under way.

High-yield radiographic considerations for cervical spine injuries.

A clinical and academic imperative has developed to define high-yield criteria for cervical radiography in the emergency department setting. Presented is a review of key literature, including discussions of epidemiologic and biomechanic considerations; previously derived criteria and their value; and the limitation of the radiograph as a diagnostic tool. We conclude that the identification of truly high-yield criteria will be defined in future prospective, multicenter studies.