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Resolution
This patient suffered a stable fracture of the L3 vertebra, confirmed by CT. He was discharged home with instructions to follow up with an orthopedist.
This case serves as an important reminder about high-impact injuries. While this patient did not experience a direct blow to the back, the mechanism of injury, in combination with point tenderness, mandates imaging.
Acknowledgement: Case presented by Nahum Kovalski, BSc, MDCM, Terem Emergency Medical Centers, Jerusalem, Israel.
This case is one of hundreds that can be found in Terem’s online x-ray Teaching File, with more being added daily. Free access to the file is available at: https://www2.teremi.com/xrayteach/. A no cost, brief registration is required.
Clinical Challenge: March, 2010
Nahum Kovalski, BSc, MDCM
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