PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Smith, D
AU  - Woolley, S
TI  - Hypopharyngeal perforation following minor trauma: a case report and literature review
AID  - 10.1136/emj.2003.012187
DP  - 2006 Jan 01
TA  - Emergency Medicine Journal
PG  - e07--e07
VI  - 23
IP  - 1
4099  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/23/1/e07.short
4100  - http://emj.bmj.com/content/23/1/e07.full
SO  - Emerg Med J2006 Jan 01; 23
AB  - Hypopharyngeal perforation is mainly reported in association with high velocity road traffic accidents, or with low velocity direct blows to the neck. We report a case of hypopharyngeal perforation following a low velocity motorcycle accident where neither of these mechanisms of injury was apparent. A 52 year old man was referred from the emergency department (ED) with a sore throat and dysphagia, following a low speed side impact accident. A gastrograffin swallow demonstrated a posterior pharyngeal wall tear. After 11 days of conservative hospital treatment, he recovered and was discharged. The presumed mechanism of injury in this case was cervical spine hyperextension without cervical compression.