Failure of immobilization of the cervical spine by the halo vest. A report of five cases.

The halo vest is considered by us, as well as by the majority of orthopaedic surgeons, to be the best commercially available orthosis for control of the cervical spine. However, we have seen five patients with posterior ligament injury of the neck who sustained a recurrence of facet dislocation or subluxation while in a halo vest.