The halo brace, also known as the halo vest immobilizer, is a device that restrains the cranium to the torso, offering the most rigid form of external immobilization for the upper cervical spine, particularly the occipitocervical and atlantoaxial junctions. Indications include definitive treatment of upper cervical spine trauma, followed by preoperative reduction of spinal deformities and postoperative adjuvant stabilization. The halo brace has undergone advancements since 1959 and is now utilized for various purposes, including as a definitive treatment for specific upper cervical spine injuries. A halo brace application is usually performed in an operating room under the supervision of a physician-led clinical team. This method involves specific procedural steps, which differentiates it from other cervical spine immobilization methods.Although this technique demonstrates an approximate success rate of 85%, the effectiveness of the halo brace hinges on appropriate indication, application, and management. Although there are inherent risks associated with utilizing halo braces in older populations, they can still be used cautiously in both adult and pediatric patients by using additional pins and applying less insertion torque force to accommodate variations in skull thickness. Despite these considerations, halo braces have been used to treat cervical spine injuries and deformities effectively. This activity reviews the indications, techniques, complications, and clinical significance of the halo brace while also highlighting the roles of the interprofessional healthcare team in evaluating and treating patients undergoing a halo vest immobilizer procedure. This collaborative approach among healthcare professionals aims to reduce complications, address comorbidities, and decrease overall mortality rates.
- Provider:StatPearls, LLC
- Activity Link: https://www.statpearls.com/ArticleLibrary/viewarticle/22499
- Start Date: 2023-09-01 05:00:00
- End Date: 2023-09-01 05:00:00
- Credit Details: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™️: 1.0 hours
Nursing: 1.0 hours
Pharmacy: 1.0 hours - MOC Credit Details: ABS - 1.0 Point; Credit Type(s): Accredited CME (ABS)
ABOS - 1.0 Point; Credit Type(s): Accredited CME (ABOS)
ABPATH - 1.0 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning (ABPATH)
ABA - 1.0 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning (ABA)
ABIM - 1.0 Point; Credit Type(s): Medical Knowledge (ABIM)
ABS - 1.0 Point; Credit Type(s): Self-Assessment (ABS)
ABP - 1.0 Point; Credit Type(s): Lifelong Learning and Self-Assessment (ABP) - Commercial Support: No
- Activity Type: Enduring Material
- CME Finder Type: Online Learning
- Fee to Participate: Variable
- Measured Outcome: Learner Knowledge, Learner/Team Competence
- Provider Ship: Directly Provided
- Registration: Open to all
- Specialty: All Practice Areas (e.g. ethics), Critical Care Medicine, General Operative Anesthesia, General Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Hospital Medicine, Neuro Anesthesia, Neurocritical Care, Orthopaedic Trauma, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Pediatric Neurology, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery, Sports Medicine, Surgery of the Spine, Surgical Critical Care, Trauma