Accident and Emergency Department, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK. fandrews@liv.ac.uk
A 43 year old woman presented with a history of a hyperextension cervical injury resulting in transient quadriplegia. Cervical spine radiography revealed developmental spinal stenosis and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated underlying spinal cord oedema secondary to contusion, with a herniated disc at C3-C4. The Torg ratio may be used to aid the initial diagnosis of cervical spine stenosis. Indications for operative treatment of these patients are controversial and these patients should receive further expert assessment.