Delayed spinal cord injury after a fall - Case report

Patients with fall and head strike are commonly assessed in the emergency department (ED), and discharged into care of their primary care physicians (PCPs) if spinal cord injury is excluded clinically or radiologically. We present the case of 84-year-old man, who sustained a fall with head strike, and was cleared of spinal cord injury. He later presented to his PCP with progressive upper limb weakness, requiring urgent surgical decompression. PCPs are well-placed to catch such patients and prevent morbidity and mortality. We advocate clear communication between ED and the PCP to ensure continuity from hospital to community.