Presentation
Motor vehicle accident
Patient Data
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Non-enhanced chest CT scan showing pneumorrhachis at the thoracic level with associated unstable fracture of T9 vertebral body (arrows).
No pneumothorax or pneumatocele.
Case courtesy of Dr. Charbel Mourad.
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Annotated images indicate a discoligamentous injury at T8/9 level with fractures of the T9 endplate, the left facet and costovertebral joints.
Case Discussion
The proposed mechanism of post-traumatic pneumorrhachis, is probably related to an extension injury of a degenerative rigid spine that resulted in the described vertebral fractures and released intradiscal/intravertebral gas into the spinal canal.