Retropulsion of intervertebral discs associated with traumatic hyperextension of the cervical spine and absence of vertebral fracture: an uncommon mechanism of spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report of a 68-year-old male who sustained cervical trauma following a bodysurfing accident.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the pathology of a relatively uncommon mechanism of injury involving extradural cord compression associated with traumatic disc protrusion and herniation, following a cervical hyperextension injury in which there was no vertebral fracture or residual subluxation.

SETTING: Department of Neuropathology, Royal Perth Hospital, West Australia.

METHOD: Postmortem pathology report.

RESULTS: Evidence of multiple ruptures of anterior longitudinal ligament with posterior intervertebral disc herniation and three discrete foci of central cord hemorrhage.

CONCLUSION: Observations are consistent with cervical extension injury and an injury vector that involves intense axial loading sufficient to cause multiple disc failures, disc herniation and retropulsion leading to extradural disc compression and cord hemorrhage.