Cervical spine fracture following a motor vehicle accident
| Autor: | Francis X. Rockett, Irwin Freundlich, Michael Doyle, William F. Eckhardt, Alan Woodward |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1988 |
| Předmět: |
Male
medicine.medical_specialty business.industry Radiography Accidents Traffic Poison control Emergency department Middle Aged Cervical spine Surgery Vehicle accident Cervical spine fracture Traction Emergency Medicine medicine Cervical Vertebrae Humans Abnormality Fractures Closed business Tomography X-Ray Computed Neck stiffness |
| Zdroj: | The Journal of emergency medicine. 6(3) |
| ISSN: | 0736-4679 |
| Popis: | We present the case of a 50-year-old man who visited our emergency department 12 h after an alcohol-related motor vehicle accident complaining of shoulder pain and neck stiffness. Cervical spine radiographs were obtained and interpreted as normal, and the patient was discharged. Subsequent review by a radiologist raised the question of a second cervical vertebra (C-2) abnormality, and the patient was recalled. Cervical computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an unstable oblique fracture of C-2 and a congenital nonfusion of the arch of C-1. The patient was placed in halo traction, and subsequent radiographs revealed a fracture of the transverse process of C-7. The patient made an uneventful recovery. The limitations of routine cervical radiographs are well-documented, but no feasible alternative exists as a screening procedure. Thus, a certain level of uncertainty must be accepted. Both physician and patient must recognize the limitations inherent in all medical practice and that follow-up examination and treatment are essential. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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