title: Benign cervical prevertebral soft tissue swelling in traumatic asphyxia.
abstract: Two cases of benign cervical prevertebral soft tissue swelling following traumatic asphyxia are presented. Neither were associated with neck pain, neck tenderness, or mechanism of injury associated with cervical injury, and each resolved spontaneously. Traumatic asphyxia, which results in significant craniofacial swelling, may also result in swelling of the retropharyngeal soft tissues, which may be detected on cervical radiography. Cervical prevertebral soft tissue swelling in the setting of traumatic asphyxia should not be misinterpreted as suggestive of spinal injury in the absence of other findings.
authors.affiliation: St. Vincent Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio 43608-2691, USA.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Plewa
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Peitzman
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004487:Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications*