ANSWER
The patient is status post two-level anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion, with interbody grafts and hardware appearing intact. The radiograph demonstrates significant prevertebral soft-tissue swelling greater than 2 cm over several levels. This results in significant posterior compression of the oropharynx. Such findings are typically seen in patients who develop retropharyngeal hematomas.
This patient was urgently returned to the operating room, where she underwent successful evacuation of a hematoma that was under a moderate amount of pressure. No specific source was identified, which is not uncommon.
The patient made a full recovery.