Dorsal spine injuries in Saudi Arabia—an unusual cause

Abstract BACKGROUND Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of spinal injuries in Saudi Arabia. Camel collisions usually result in cervical spine injuries. Although extremely rare, dorsal spine injuries have also resulted from these accidents. METHOD Retrospective analysis of the type of accident of all the patients with dorsal spine injuries was conducted at the supra-regional spinal injuries rehabilitation unit in Riyadh. RESULTS Of all the patients’ records reviewed, three patients’ injuries to the dorsal spine had resulted from car accidents involving a camel. These patients, during further interviews, described in detail the exact mechanism of their injuries. Protective lateral bending to avoid the direct impact of the animal resulted in their injuries. CONCLUSION Camel collisions remain a significant cause of mortality and morbidity although they affect the cervical spine most often. Dorsal spine injuries can result from protective lateral bending in unrestrained drivers and passengers.