Moving patient from hospital trolley to XR or CT table

[Timothy J Coats (SURG) 7728]

> A 24 y.o. male arrives in your Emergency Dept following a motorcycle
> accident. He demonstrates complete loss of sensation from T8. Besides
> multiple abrasions and minor lacerations from road contact, there are no
> other injuries.
> 
> The patient is placed on the hospital trolley and management continues .
> The spinal board is routinely removed in the Emergency Dept (as it is in
> many other EDs in Melbourne) following log rolling and examination of
> the back.
> 
> Now the patient requires x-rays and CT spine.
> 
> What is the best and safest way to move this patient from hospital
> trolley to x-ray or CT table?
> 

One of our local spinal injury units uses a patslide for unstable 
patients, the other uses a scoop (bivalve) stretcher. No evidence. (is 
the syaing 'You pay your money and take your choice' international 
or just UK?).

We use the scoop stretcher in the ED. Xrays through any spinal 
board are of worse quality than is the patient was on a trolley 
(gurney) and spinal boards are uncomfortable in the concious and 
cause pressure sores in the unconscious so we would not leave a 
patient on a spinal board.

Tim.

Timothy J Coats MD FRCS FFAEM
Senior Lecturer in Accident and Emergency / Pre-Hospital Care
Royal London Hospital, UK.