[Traumatic cervical disc prolapse with severe neurological impact]

A 51-year-old male drove into a ditch on his scooter. Immediately after the trauma the patient complained of neck pain and decreased ability to feel and move his extremities. An initial trauma computed tomography (CT) of the columna showed normal conditions. Because the patient had neurological deficiencies, magnetic resonance imaging of the columna was performed 12 days later, and a disc prolapse at the C3/C4 level with spinal cord compression was visible. Despite decompression the patient did not recover. Traumatic cervical disc prolapse is a rare and positionally dangerous condition, which can be present despite a CT showing normal conditions.