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Pharyngeal perforation: a late complication of cervical spine surgery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2006

S L Woolley
Affiliation:
the Emergency Department, Bristol Royal Infirmary/Bristol Children’s Hospital, Bristol , Cardiff, UK.
D R K Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital of Wales, Bristol , Cardiff, UK.

Abstract

Anterior cervical spine fusion and stabilization is a well-recognized procedure for a number of cervical spine disorders. Unfortunately, the complex anatomy of the cervical spine means that these procedures are not without complications. Pharyngo-oesophageal perforation is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of cervical spine surgery and may present intra-operatively, in the immediate post-operative period or many years later. We present the case of a gentleman with ankylosing spondylitis who presented with a pharyngeal perforation and fistula five years after cervical spine surgery.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2005 Royal Society of Medicine Press

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