A 17-year-old boy was driving his minibike at high speed along a country lane, when he suddenly saw what he thought was a shortcut through a gap in a hedge. He did not see that the gap was closed by a strand of barbed wire. He struck the wire with his neck and was thrown from the bicycle. On arrival at the emergency department, he had all the signs and symptoms of upper airway obstruction. Using your knowledge of the anatomy of the neck, explain the type of injury that could have occurred in this case. Does the position of the vocal cords at the time of impact influence the type of injury that occurs? What anatomic factors normally protect
the upper airway from serious blunt injuries? Does age play a role in the severity of the injury?

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The Answer of A 17-year-old boy was driving his minibike at high speed along a country lane, when he suddenly saw what he thought was a shortcut through a gap in a hedge. He did not see that the gap was closed by a strand of barbed wire. He struck the wire with his neck and was thrown from the bicycle. On arrival at the emergency department, he had all the signs and symptoms of upper airway obstruction. Using your knowledge of the anatomy of the neck, explain the type of injury that could have occurred in this case. Does the position of the vocal cords at the time of impact influence the type of injury that occurs? What anatomic factors normally protect
the upper airway from serious blunt injuries? Does age play a role in the severity of the injury?

A 17-Year-Old Boy Was Driving His Minibike at High Speed