Moderator: Tim White
NZcaver wrote:I'm all for keeping the patient as comfortable as possible, especially during the rigors of a cave rescue. I believe that's the main reason for avoiding traditional C-collars in cave rescue, and why general Wilderness Protocols now tend to de-emphasize their use. I've found the OSS with shoulder board provides good spinal stabilization and reasonable insulation and protection for a patient in a Sked, negating most reasons to use a C-collar or rigid spine board when transporting patients for prolonged periods.
RescueMan wrote:In a wilderness setting there are a variety of ways to improvise a C-collar (SAM splint, horse collar blanket roll, foam pad), but wilderness protocols don't "de-emphasize their use" only allow for ruling out spinal injury. If spinal injury cannot be ruled out, the protocol is to use some form of cervical immobilization. An OSS alone comes close but does not fully satisfy that requirement.
Return to Cave Rescue Techniques Forum
Users browsing this forum: No registered users