Pediatric care report of spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA): case report and literature review.
METHODS
Case report of SCIWORA following trivial trauma in childhood and review of the literature.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a case of 'spinal cord injuries without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA)', which was diagnosed 2 years after the event, and define its relevance from a differential diagnostic and medico-legal viewpoint.


METHODS
An Austrian neuro-traumatological rehabilitation and workers' insurance appraisal center.


METHODS
A 12-year-old patient is presented who suffered an ischemic spinal lesion of unknown origin on her way home from school. The patient was reinvestigated as part of an insurance appraisal 2 years later. The aim of this investigation was to elucidate the origin of the spinal cord lesion, in particular, whether it was because of accidental trauma or because of a preexisting condition (eg vascular malformation).


RESULTS
SCIWORA due to a trivial trauma was diagnosed during the reinvestigation. This was of importance for the patient because of accident insurance coverage.


CONCLUSIONS
In children developing a quadroparesis following a minor trauma, spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality must be considered in the differental diagnosis.
Ergun
A
A
Rehabilitation Center for Head Trauma Patients Meidling, AUVA, Vienna, Austria.
Oder
W
W
D002648:Child; D019992:Databases as Topic; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009192:Myelography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology