Cervical soft tissue lesions in the shaken infant syndrome

Abstract

Cervical soft tissue lesions have rarely been described in the shaken baby syndrome; they include ruptures of intervertebral discs and haemorrhages in the ligamenta flava, and in the interspinal and sternocleidomastoid muscles. We present here the autopsy case of a 30-month old girl who suffered an assault with multiple injury mechanisms, i.e., beating, sexual abuse and shaking trauma. External examination of the neck did not reveal bruises or excoriations, but cervical dissection showed haemorrhagic infiltration of the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, carotid region, posterior musculature of the pharynx and oesophagus, and retro-pharyngeal/oesophageal spaces. These findings were ascribed to the repeated violent movements of shaking trauma. The case presented confirms the occurrence of cervical soft tissue lesions in the shaken baby syndrome and reports injuries which have not previously been described. In suspected cases of shaken baby syndrome, particular attention must be paid to the examination of cervical soft tissue structures.