Best Practice Case Studies-Cervical Injuries in Athletes

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The online education lecture, part of the AMSSM fellow series, tackled the complex topic of cervical injuries in athletes, presented by Dr. Julian Bales, a leading neurosurgery expert. The lecture highlighted the importance of identifying and managing cervical spine injuries, particularly in high-risk sports such as football, diving, and wrestling, where mechanisms like axial load and spear tackling often lead to severe injuries. Dr. Bales outlined classification schemes for managing these injuries, focusing on transient spinal cord injuries, fractures, and radiographic abnormalities. Emphasizing the critical nature of sideline assessments, he underscored the necessity of clear protocols and proper diagnosis, involving CTs and MRIs to evaluate potential cord injury or stenosis.<br /><br />Discussions covered the need for individualized return-to-play decisions, taking into account the player’s health and the risk of re-injury. Dr. Bales also addressed diverging procedures between leaving protective gear on during transport to avoid further movement and the circumstances requiring removal for better airway management. Attendees were urged to collaborate with local neurosurgeons to enhance the decision-making process, maintaining a focus on patient safety and readiness to seek expert advice for complex cases. The session concluded with emphasizing ongoing education and preparation for emergency scenarios to optimize athlete care.

Meta Tag

Edition 3rd Edition

Related Case 3rd Edition, CASE 53

Topic Spine

Keywords

3rd Edition, CASE 53

3rd Edition

Spine

cervical injuries

athletes

neurosurgery

spine management

high-risk sports

sideline assessment

return-to-play

protective gear

emergency scenarios