Catastrophe for a campanologist.
A campanologist was involved in a nonfatal hanging incident. On presentation she had no midline bony tenderness and only subtle abnormalities on plain X-ray films of her cervical spine; however, a CT scan showed a type III odontoid peg fracture. We believe this is the first reported cervical spine fracture sustained while bell-ringing. This case demonstrates the importance of mechanism of injury with regard to decisions about diagnostic imaging and the debate concerning the choice of first-line cervical imaging is highlighted.
Thompson
Alfred A R
AA
Emergency Department, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
McRoberts
Randal J
RJ
McKie
Scott
S
Oglesby
Angela J
AJ