RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 An important complication of upper cervical spine fracture: a case report.
JF Archives of Emergency Medicine
JO Arch Emerg Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine
SP 235
OP 238
DO 10.1136/emj.10.3.235
VO 10
IS 3
A1 D W Hodgkinson
A1 D J Bamford
A1 P Driscoll
YR 1993
UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/10/3/235.abstract
AB A case report is presented of a patient who sustained a high cervical spine fracture, the possible mechanisms of injury and details of the fracture are discussed. The patient developed bilateral vagal nerve palsies 48 h after the accident. This complication was only recognized after dysphagia and an aspiration pneumonia developed. The complication of aspiration pneumonia was preventable. Meticulous and repeated examination of the cranial nerve function in this type of injury is recommended. Normal feeding should commence only when the cranial nerve function has been shown to be normal after repeated examination.