An unusual combination of a lumbar seat belt injury and hemorrhagic contusion of the lower thoracic cord in a 2-year-old child: a case report.
We describe a previously unreported combination of lumbar flexion-distraction ligamentous disruption and incomplete thoracic spinal cord injury in a 2-year-old boy. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracolumbar spine showed hemorrhagic cord contusion at the T11-T12 level. Plain radiographs showed mild kyphosis of the L3-L4 segment. Fluoroscopy showed pathological motion at L3-L4 in flexion indicating a ligamentous injury. The lumbar spine was surgically stabilized and at 1-year follow-up, a remarkable neurological recovery was noted. We believe that physicians managing children with multiple trauma injuries should be aware of this rare type of injury that might be underdiagnosed.
Smorgick
Yossi
Y
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. fredricag@asaf.health.gov.il
Floman
Yizhar
Y
Shalmon
Ehud
E
Mirovsky
Yigal
Y
Copeliovitch
Leonel
L
Anekstein
Yoram
Y
D002675:Child, Preschool; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome