A halo is a medical device used to stabilize the cervical spine after traumatic injuries to the neck, or after spine surgery. The apparatus consists of a halo vest, stabilization bars, and a metal ring encircling the patient's head and fixated to the skull with multiple pins. The metal pins push up to the skull and not into it. The are placed opposite one another giving counter force and resulting in very firm fixation to the skull. The pin sites require daily cleaning to keep from becoming superficially infected.
The halo allows for proper alignment of the neck and spinal cord to help treat and prevent further damage to the spine.
