Been speaking to my local spinal injuries consultant recently (Southport)
about items on the list.
This hospital does not recommend steroids, no evidence they improve outcome
and may contribute to stress ulcers.
Rowley's patient who stood and became paraplegic - was there a fracture?
Gravity can cause a shift of unstable fracture fragments hence the need to
keep these patients flat all the time. That was his likeliest cause, not
vascular. Unsure if gravity as bad on the neck but wouldn't like to try
it.
He also mentioned upper dorsal fractures (T3/4) as a cause of wide
mediastinum on chest xray. If in doubt don't sit them up to get a better
xray (gravity again), log roll and take coned view. Or CT. These patients
bleed and usually need a chest drain. More likely than ruptured aorta.
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