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Richard L. Gamelli, MD
Maywood, Ill

Arch Surg. 2001;136:327.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

In this retrospective analysis of data from the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical System State Trauma Registry 1995 to 1998, Cornwall and colleagues found that of 1000 patients with gunshot wounds to the torso, 141 sustained injury to the vertebral column and/or spinal cord. The authors conclude that just 2 patients (0.2%) benefited from spinal immobilization applied in the field. Interestingly, the frequency of torso gunshot wounds decreased during this period by nearly 20%.

This report is strengthened by the data, which give a fair assessment of the incidence and potential for the use of spinal immobilization for torso gunshot wounds, and by the supposition that the time involved in spinal immobilization and intervention prior to hospital transport could result in overall adverse patient outcomes. However, this report does not definitively conclude that spinal immobilization is unnecessary, owing to the very low number of patients who . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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