• radiography
• cervical spine injury
• head injuries
• blund abdominal trauma
• ultrasound
• computed tomography
• wound healing
• factor VIIa

Best evidence topic reports (BETs) summarise the evidence pertaining to particular clinical questions. They are not systematic reviews, but rather contain the best (highest level) evidence that can be practically obtained by busy practicing clinicians. The search strategies used to find the best evidence are reported in detail in order to allow clinicians to update searches whenever necessary. The BETs published below were first reported at the Critical Appraisal Journal Club at the Manchester Royal Infirmary¹ or placed on the BestBETs web site. Each BET has been constructed in the four stages that have been described elsewhere.² The BETs shown here together with those published previously and those currently under construction can be seen at http://www.bestbets.org³ Eight BETs are included in this issue of the journal.

• ◂ Swimmers view or supine oblique views to visualise the cervicothoracic junction

• ◂ Computed tomography and the exclusion of upper cervical spine injury in trauma patients with altered mental state

• ◂ Antibiotics in compound depressed skull fractures

• ◂ Antibiotics in patients with isolated chest trauma requiring chest drains

• ◂ Lignocaine (lidocaine) premedication before rapid sequence induction in head injuries

• ◂ Ultrasound or computed tomography in paediatric blunt abdominal trauma

• ◂ Routine use of antibiotic ointment and wound healing

• ◂ Factor VIIa for intractable blood loss in trauma