Unusual cord transection in a patient with traumatic spondylolisthesis

Spinal cord injury is one of the most debilitating injuries in patients with spinal trauma. Cord injury may range from simple cord edema to frank transection. Cord transection is the most severe form of cord injury as it results in complete and irreversible loss of all neural functions. Generally, it is a result of unstable spinal fractures with associated spondylolisthesis or spondyloptosis. Generally, the level of cord transection corresponds to the level of spinal fracture/spondylolisthesis. However, here we are presenting a case having a traumatic spinal fracture with spondylolisthesis where the level of cord transection was much higher than the level of the spinal fracture. Due to the traumatic traction, the cord distal to transection is displaced inferior leaving behind a long segment of the empty thecal sac.