Tough to splint [Archive] - Firehouse Forums

Want2bTopEMT

10-08-2006, 01:19 AM

I had a patient today that was 37 weeks pregnant and fell going down a ramp in the front of her house. She hurt her left hip, leg and ankle. She also said that she had fallen coming out of the shower earlier in the day and landed on her tailbone. I wanted to splint her leg but hesitated to put her on a backboard because she would have been incredibly uncomfortable because of her fall earlier in the day, and she didn't land on her head, neck or back, so I didn't suspect spinal injury for full immobilization on a backboard. I remembered learning that another way of immobilizing a hip, if you don't have really long splintting boards, is using a KED applied upside down over the hip. In this case I was also scared to do that because I thought it might put too much pressure on her stomach. Can anybody give me advice on what would have been the best option for immobilizing the full leg and hip of this very pregnant patient? Thanks!

yowzer

10-08-2006, 01:34 PM

Usually we don't do any splinting for a hip; the KED trick is for a suspected broken pelvis, IIRC. Just splint the leg like usual, or use a bunch of towels, blankets, pillows, etc. to support it in a least-uncomfortable position.

AZCEP43

10-08-2006, 03:06 PM

Pillows under the knees, and between the legs. Find the patient's position of comfort and immobilize in that position.

lexfd5

10-09-2006, 10:34 PM

Pillows under the knees, and between the legs. Find the patient's position of comfort and immobilize in that position.

If you can find a position a 37 week pregnant woman can be comfortable in let me know. ;) ;)

Wyomingmedic

10-09-2006, 11:43 PM

This is a tough one but a solveable one.

It is hard to say what I would do since I wasnt there but I would consider the use of a scoop board with the pt spider strapped to it. Remember that the POC for a pregnant female is (according to the experts anyway) is LEFT LATERAL RECUMBANT.

SO maybe putting her into a scoop and strapping her in as much as she will allow THEN prop something under the board so she is more on her left side than her right.

That is just one technique. It allows easy movement of her and some support for the legs and hips. But no matter what you do, she will be uncomfortable.

SO as I type this I would (if you dont suspect a neck or back injury) just let her get into the POC and transport her like that.

Brad