Prehospital Interventions to Reduce Discomfort From Spinal Immobilization in Adult Trauma Patients: A Scoping Review.

Background: Spinal immobilization, a widely used trauma prehospital intervention, is known to cause discomfort, yet little is known about interventions to reduce this discomfort.

Objective: This scoping review aims to evaluate prehospital interventions to reduce discomfort from spinal immobilization in adult trauma patients.

Method: This scoping review assessed prehospital pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions to address discomfort from spinal immobilization in adult trauma patients. We searched sources published in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese without time restrictions. Two reviewers independently screened sources against the inclusion criteria and extracted data using a specified extraction instrument. The databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, APA PsycINFO, International Paramedic Practice, Amber: the Home of Ambulance Service Research, JBI Evidence Synthesis, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, RCAAP, and CAPES Thesis Bank were used.

Results: Two articles were deemed eligible, identifying two interventions. One focused on the choice of immobilization device, while the other addressed the hemodynamic implications of immobilization discomfort, considering factors such as oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and pulse.

Conclusions: Only two interventions were found, and both only indirectly addressed spinal immobilization discomfort. More well-designed research is needed to address patient-centered concerns regarding the discomfort from spinal immobilization in trauma care.