Trauma Cervical Spine Radiograph

Trauma is one of the commonest causes for emergency room attendance and inability to protect the cervical spine in unconscious patient during primary assessment will cause significant morbidity and mortality in cervical spine injured patient. Mismanagement should be prevented at the first presentation. The emergency department residents frequently interpret plain radiograph without the presence of radiologist.The author would like to highlight that the emergency medicine trainees' ability to interpret the cervical spine radiograph in trauma is as accurate as radiologist. As a result hopefully it will give a strong impact towards improving Emergency Medicine services in future. Emergency physician has great responsibility to provide training and to teach their junior doctors working in their department.

Associate Professor Dr Nik Hisamuddin Nik Ab Rahman, MBChB, MMed, ACEP. Obtained his basic medical degree from the University of Glasgow. Current position include the head and consultant Emergency Medicine in the University Sains Malaysia. Main interests include trauma and injury prevention, resuscitation and acute pain management.