title: Acute spinal cord and head injury: case report and discussion of cardiac, respiratory and endocrine abnormalities.
abstract: We report a male patient who after a fall suffered high cervical spinal cord and head (cerebral) injuries. These injuries led to spinal shock, marked sinus bradycardia and asystolic cardiac and respiratory arrests, recalcitrant central traumatic diabetes insipidus, and death within approximately seven weeks. Temporary transvenous cardiac pacing proved useful in the management of this patient.
authors.affiliation: U.P.R. Medical Sciences Campus, Section of Cardiology, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Perea López
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries*; D003919:Diabetes Insipidus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000150:complications*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006955:Hypernatremia / Q000209:etiology; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications*