Re: cervical traction in transport

["Charles Freeman" <cfreeman@alum.mit.edu>]

When I flew with Pegasus a number of years ago we had a marvelous
commercially available contraption that was designed just for the purpose.
It was a lexan or plexiglas stretcher which looked like \__/  from the end
view, with handholds cut into the sides. A spring loaded drum attached to
the head end. This drum had ortho cord wrapped around it and a calibrated
scale on the side. The height of the drum above the deck was adjustable on
slides, so you could match the direction of pull to the tongs exactly. There
was a strap arrangement to both secure the patient and provide
countertraction. Once the patient was strapped in, the prescribed amount of
traction was applied by reading the scale and turning a knob which loaded
the spring, just like a Sager splint. It was slick and easy, and probably
exorbatantly expensive, but it worked well. For the life of me though I
can't recall the name of it. Ask the folks at Pegasus, though, they probably
still have it.

Charlie Freeman
DHART

----- Original Message -----
From: <Helodoc@aol.com>
To: <flightmed@flightweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2001 4:00 PM
Subject: Re: cervical traction in transport


> Many years ago we had a mechanic take a spine board and attach a Sager
splint
> to the head end.  I believe he had to attach oversized runners to the
bottom
> to permit clearance.  We then used the Sager splint the same way that you
use
> weights in an ortho bed with the Gardner - Wells tongs.  It seemed to work
> well, despite a long trip in a BK.
>
> Dave Thomson
>
> David P. Thomson, MS, MD, FACEP
> Associate Professor
> Department of Emergency Medicine
> SUNY Upstate Medical University
> 750 E. Adams St.
> Syracuse, NY 13210
> 315.464.6219 voice
> 315.464.6229 fax
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Flightmed:
> To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: flightmed-unsubscribe@flightweb.com
> For additional commands, e-mail: flightmed-help@flightweb.com
>
>


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Flightmed:
To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: flightmed-unsubscribe@flightweb.com
For additional commands, e-mail: flightmed-help@flightweb.com