DESCRIPTION
ClearCollar™ allows first responders, doctors and nurses in the field to assess injuries without removing the cervical collar, reducing the risk of undetected injuries.
Post-trauma, changes in the neck may be a primary indicator of thoracic injury and can develop into life threatening conditions.
The patented transparency function of the ClearCollar allows medical personnel to visually monitor a patient’s condition from the moment the collar is placed on the neck, until it is determined safe to remove.
Traditional cervical collars put the patient at risk of motion, which can result in severe cervical spine injuries, by repeatedly opening and closing the collar for inspection. The ClearCollar reduces these unnecessary risks, ensuring safer care for patients and reduced liability for medical providers.
Standard cervical collars differ in features, including size, shape, comfort level, price point, and material. While a variety of features may be important, none of these options address the critical issue of continuous neck injury assessment that is paramount to quality care like ClearCollar does.
Less Risk = Less Liability
While trained medical personnel will visually inspect the area prior to applying an extrication collar, symptoms of thoracic injuries may not be immediately apparent. Removing an extrication collar from a patient subjects them to risk of motion that could result in paralysis. ClearCollar not only medically braces the cervical spine, but its patented transparency feature permits medical staff to visually assess the structures of the neck which may indicate changes in the thoracic area, avoiding the need to prematurely remove a collar.
Patients can experience any number of complications from injuries that are concealed by the opaque cervical collars used by most providers. The ClearCollar eliminates the risk of thoracic injuries remaining undetected while minimizing the need for medical professionals to remove the collar.
The annual cost of care for a quadriplegic is estimated at $1.3 million (paraplegic $428 thousand). While a patient may experience trauma to the spinal cord in an accident, the severity could be increased during routine examination.
Lawsuits have been filed against doctors and institutions claiming further damage had occurred during the removal of an extrication collar. The average settlement for these cases has been in excess of $1 million. With a cost comparable to current extrication collars, the use of the ClearCollar reduces the risk of liability for medical service providers.
