Head and Neck Injuries: Special Considerations in the Elderly Patient

Abstract

Traumatic injuries to the head and neck are common in the elderly, which is a rapidly growing sector of the American population. Most injuries result from low-energy falls and therefore might be at risk for delayed presentation and undertriage. Imaging, particularly with computed tomography, plays a vital role in the evaluation of traumatic head and neck injuries in geriatric patients. A thorough understanding of the differing patterns of trauma in the elderly patient and the factors that are associated with poorer outcomes is essential.

Keywords: Cervical spine; Elderly; Fractures; Geriatric; Head; Neck; Subdural hematoma; Trauma.