title: Isolated cricoid fracture associated with blunt neck trauma.
abstract: A 32-year-old woman without a remarkable history presented at the emergency department with strangulation of the neck. CT scans of the neck revealed a displaced cricoid fracture. Six days after admission to hospital, hoarseness and dyspnoea disappeared. On the 10th day, the patient was discharged without complications. The traditional treatment guidelines for laryngeal trauma have recommended an early surgical intervention after immediate tracheotomy in cases of displaced fractures of the cricoid cartilage. The patient could be treated successfully through continuous monitoring of airway obstruction without surgical management.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Chung-Ang University Hospital, 224-1 Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 156-755, Korea.
authors.forename: Je Hyeok
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyun Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Tae Ung
authors.initials: TU
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000293:injuries*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology