Traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta presenting as transient paraplegia.
 A patient involved in a high-speed motor vehicle accident presented paraplegic to the emergency department.
 He was noted to have an abnormal chest x-ray and, subsequently, underwent aortography which revealed aortic transection.
 The patient's paraplegia resolved spontaneously prior to definitive aortic repair hours later.
 Aortic rupture presenting as paraplegia is a rare association, but one an emergency physician should be cognizant of, especially in the case of blunt or decelerating trauma.
