title: Tiger mauling: fatal spinal injury.
abstract: A 33 year old zoo keeper was attacked by a Sumatran tiger in captivity. Apart from severe lacerations and penetrating wounds to the head and neck, the patient sustained comminuted fractures of C1 and C2 vertebrae with resultant high laceration of the spinal cord. Major vascular injury as well as trauma to pharynx also occurred. The patient survived these injuries for 15 h.
authors.affiliation: Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kohout
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Percy
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sears
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000209:etiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000293:injuries; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000209:etiology