Citation

O'Sullivan MD, Piggot R, Jaddan M, McCabe JP. J. Surg. Case Rep. 2016; 2016(3): e031.

Affiliation

Galway University Hospitals (GUH), Newcastle, Galway, Republic of Ireland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jscr/rjw031

PMID

26980714

Abstract

The aim of this case report was to highlight the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in elucidating serious and occult injuries in a single case of hyperflextion injury of a patient cervical spine (C-Spine). A chart and radiology review was performed to establish the sequence of care and how the results of imaging studies influenced the clinical management in this trauma case. Plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT) imaging modalities of the C-Spine revealed bilateral C4/C5 facetal subluxation with no obvious fractures; however, the MR imaging of the C-Spine revealed a non-contiguous and occult injury to C6/C7 disc with a posterior annular tear and associated disc extrusion. This altered the operative intervention that was initially planned. MR imaging proved an invaluable diagnostic addition in this particular case of cervical trauma in a rugby player following a hyperflextion injury, by revealing a serious non-contiguous and occult injury of the C-Spine.

Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016.

Language: en