A 52-year-old woman with hidden ankylosing spondylitis for years attended the emergency department after a minor head injury. Rapid and alarming neck swelling appeared shortly after the initial consultation. Although the physical examination and the lateral cervical spine X-ray did not suggest fracture, a later CT scan revealed a fracture line. A high index of suspicion and early use of the halo device are needed in order to prevent irreversible neurological damage in such patients.
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