A 58-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with complaints of severe neck pain. He admitted to drug use but denied using intravenous (IV) drugs. On exam, he had a fever of 100.7°F, positive Kernig’s sign, and normal neurologic exam. The patient was suspected to have bacterial meningitis and was started on IV antibiotics. The next day the patient developed decreased hand grip. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine the next day showed a soft-tissue mass impinging on the spinal canal. The patient was subsequently taken to the operating room where the epidural abscess was drained.
We present the case of a 31-year-old trauma patient with computed tomography concerning significant C3–C4 subluxation. The abnormality is due to an artifact with which emergency physicians should be aware.
A 66-year-old man with a history of ankylosing spondylitis presented to the emergency department as a trauma activation after a fall backward onto his sacrum from the bottom rung of a ladder.
Spinal immobilization is one of the most commonly performed pre-hospital procedures. Little research has been done on the movement of the neck during immobilization and extrication.
An intoxicated 29-year-old male presented to the emergency department after diving into a pool with reported loss of consciousness and complaining of neck pain.
