Penetrating and blunt trauma to the neck: clinical presentation, assessment and emergency management.

Penetrating and blunt trauma to the neck: clinical presentation, assessment and emergency management. B-ENT. 2016;Suppl 26(2):69-85 Authors: Perdonck P, de Schoutheets JC, Monsieurs KG, Van Laer C, Vander Poorten V, Vanderveken O Abstract Penetrating and blunt trauma to the neck: clinical presentation, assessment ana emergency management. In Belgium, and even in Western Europe, penetrating and blunt injury to the neck is relatively uncommon in both the civilian and military populations. Pre-hospital and emergency assessment and management will therefore always prove challenging, as individual exposure to this specific type of injury remains low. Historically, the neck has been divided into three anatomical zones with specific landmarks to guide the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to penetrating neck injuries. Most penetrating injuries need to be explored surgically, although with the advent of multi-detector computed tomographic angiography (MDCTA), which yields high diagnostic sensitivity, this inflexible approach has recently changed to a more targeted management, based on clinical, radiographic and, if deemed necessary, endoscopic findings. However, some authors have addressed their concern about this novel, 'no-zone' approach, since the risk of missing less apparent aerodigestive tract injuries may increase. It is recommended, therefore, that all patients with penetrating neck injuries be closely observed, irrespective of the...
Source: B-ENT - Category: ENT & OMF Tags: B-ENT Source Type: research