Minor Trauma in Ankylosing Spondylitis Causing Combined Cervical Spine Fracture and Esophageal Injury.

Abstract

We illustrate the case of an unstable fracture of the cervical spine in ankylosing spondylitis with associated esophageal injury after minor trauma. A 66-year-old man fell backwards from the first rung of a ladder, sustaining a transverse fracture of the C6 vertebral body and a new diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis. He was taken for surgical fixation; however, his esophagus was discovered entrapped within the fracture at the time of surgery. Despite the severity of the injury, with surgical reduction, fixation, and esophageal exclusion this patient made a full recovery. This case demonstrates the severity of injury after minor trauma in the context of ankylosing spondylitis, the capacity for full recovery in esophageal perforations in spinal trauma, and that clinical suspicion of such injuries allows early diagnosis, treatment, and reduced complications.