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Effects of the cervical collar on cerebrospinal fluid pressure
Author(s) -
Raphael J. H.,
Chotai R.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1994.tb03482.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cervical collar , cerebrospinal fluid , collar , intracranial pressure , subarachnoid space , anesthesia , cerebrospinal fluid pressure , surgery , lumbar , lumbar puncture , cervical spine , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary We investigated the hypothesis that cervical collars might compress the internal jugular veins and raise intracranial pressure in head‐injured patients. In a randomised, single‐blind, crossover study of nine patients scheduled for elective spinal anaesthesia the cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the lumbar subarachnoid space was measured with and without a ‘Stifneck’cervical collar applied. There was a significant elevation of cerebrospinal fluid pressure in seven of the patients studied when the cervical collar was applied (p < 0.01). This preliminary study raises the possibility that immobilisation of the cervical spine with the 'Stifneck’cervical collar may, by raising the intracranial pressure, contribute to secondary neurological injury in head‐injured patients in whom intracranial compliance is already reduced.