Cervicothoracic orthosis [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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====== Cervicothoracic orthosis ======

[[Cervicothoracic orthoses]] (CTO) incorporate some form of body vest to immobilize the [[cervical spine]]. 

The following are presented in increasing degree of immobilization.

[[Guilford brace]]: essentially a ring around the occiput and chin connected by two posts to anterior and posterior thoracic pads.

[[SOMI brace]]: acronym for Sternal Occipital Mandibular Immobilizer. Good for bracing against flexion (especially upper cervical spine). Inadequate for hyper-extension type injuries because of weak occipital support. Has special forehead attachment to allow patient to eat comfortably without mandibular support.

“[[Yale brace]]”: a sort of extended [[Philadelphia collar]]. The most effective CTO for bracing against flexion-extension and rotation. The major shortcoming is poor prevention of lateral bending (only ≈ 50% reduced).