Management of a patient with traumatic tetraplegia from Central Australia: case report

During the 6-year period up to 1 January 1988, 10 patients were admitted to our unit from Central Australia with spinal cord injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents. Of these half had received their injury whilst resting unrestrained in the rear of a moving vehicle. Three of these were recumbent. The case is presented of a 26-year-old male who was injured whilst resting in the rear of a moving vehicle that left the roadway and rolled in remote central Australia. The injuries sustained were a closed head injury, fractures of the left lateral masses of C5, C6 and C7, a burst fracture of C7 with an asymmetrical complete tetraplegia: C5 on the left, C6 on the right. Initial orthopaedic management was skeletal traction. An inpatient rehabilitation programme has been completed.