Abstract
A fatality of an 83-year-old female experiencing acute circulatory failure as a result of a type II odontoid fracture is compared with the case of an 86-year-old female who died from delayed cardiopulmonary complications due to a lower cervical spine injury. Falls on the forehead from minor height can cause odontoid fractures especially in elderly patients, hyperextension of the neck on the other hand can lead to lower cervical spine injury with prevertebral hematoma. The latter can lead to extensive hematoma of the neck, but might be difficult to diagnose by computed tomography in the living patient. Especially in cases of elderly patients showing bruises on the forehead or extensive neck hematoma, the possibility of cervical spine fracture should be taken into account and postmortem examinations should be arranged commensurately.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
