Background: Extrication is the process of removing injured or potentially injured people from their vehicles. The origin of current extrication techniques and paradigms is largely unknown. An understanding of the historical evidence related to motor vehicle collisions (MVCs), injuries and deaths will provide context for accepted, contemporary, extrication practices. Methods: Extrication related search terms were developed and applied across of range of sources including Clinical and health care data, Trial registries, Grey literature, Academic and specific Transport related sources. Results: 7089 articles were identified, following review, 170 are included in this qualitative synthesis. Key themes / categories included: Extrication training and principles, Injures, Immobilisation, Care during entrapment, Clinical response type, Vehicle deformity intrusion entrapment, and Extrication. Conclusion: There is a paucity of published evidence to support the current approach to extrication of entrapped patients following an MVC. Focused studies identifying in detail the injures and their sequelae associated with entrapment, the biomechanics of current techniques and ensuring that the patient perspective is captured will enable the development of much needed evidence based multidisciplinary guidance.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study did not receive any funding.

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