MISSED DIAGNOSIS, MANIPULATIVE NIGHTMARE - A CASE-REPORT AND LITERATURE-REVIEW

SHOULD A CHIROPRACTOR accept the representations of an injured patient about prior medical interventions at face value? This case report documents such a situation. While the patient was told at the hospital there was no significant neck injury, in fact, there was a fracture of the second cervical vertebra. Proper procedure and diagnosis by the treating chiropractor averted a possible neurologic catastrophy and resulted in proper neurosurgical care for the fractured spine with a good outcome. A review of the literature reveals there are additional classifications of axis fractures that are not generally found in most currently available textbooks.