Penetrating Neck Injury in Two Dutch Level 1 Trauma Centres: the Non-Existent Problem

Penetrating Neck Injury Involving Wooden Foreign Bodies: Case Report

Although rare, penetrating neck injuries can have grave consequences, and are associated with high mortality rates. Individuals with cervical injuries due to wooden foreign bodies are at an increased risk of developing infectious complications. In this case, a male patient aged 27 years presented with a cervical injury indicative of a penetrating wound caused by a wooden foreign body. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed no signs of intracranial hemorrhage or fracture. Additionally, cervical CT scan showed no evidence of cervical corpus or longus colli muscle lesions. The medical team suggested a cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination; however, the patient's family opted out. Subsequently, the patient underwent wound debridement, which involved the extraction of a fragment of impaling wood. Two days after the procedure, the patient developed a fever and weakness of the shoulder and arm on the ipsilateral side. Following the process of re-education, the family provided consent for MRI examination. A subsequent surgical procedure was performed on the patient based on the MRI findings and clinical presentation. Residual wooden fragments were effectively extracted, resulting in positive progression of the patient's condition.

Penetrating Head and Neck Trauma: A Narrative Review of Evidence-Based Evaluation and Treatment Protocols

Penetrating injury to the head and neck accounts for a minority of trauma but significant morbidity in the US civilian population. The 3-zone anatomical framework has historically guided evaluation and management; however, the most current evidence-based protocols favor a no-zone, systems-based approach. In stable patients, a thorough physical examination and noninvasive imaging should be prioritized, with surgical exploration of the head and neck reserved for certain circumstances. Diagnostic and management decisions should be tailored to the mechanism of injury, history, physical examination, experience of personnel, availability of equipment, and clinical judgment.

Shrapnel in carotid sheath: A rare penetrating neck injury

Injuries deeper than the platysma are considered as penetrating neck injuries, constituting approximately 5% - 10% of all trauma. Many vital organs are at risk from a penetrating neck injury. These injuries in zone 1 have the highest mortality, because the injuries are close to the vital organs and difficult to access surgically. A 41-year-old male, a car mechanic by profession, presented to the emergency department with a penetrating neck injury on the right side. CT scan demonstrated a metallic foreign body in zone 1 between the right internal jugular vein and the common carotid artery. The patient was asymptomatic, and the foreign body was removed surgically. This case shows a rare presentation of a penetrating neck injury with a foreign body located in zone 1, where no vital internal structure was injured. As of now, no previous case report has been identified on such presentation. Thus, it will provide a valuable addition to the pre-existing literature.

[Acute care of soft tissue injuries in the head and neck region]

BACKGROUND

Soft tissue injuries are a common consequence of head and neck trauma. With injuries being highly individual and varying depending on the underlying trauma, it is difficult to establish standardized guidelines for head and neck trauma in general. The main goal of this study was to showcase the distribution of soft tissue injury types and the principles pertaining to acute care of the individual clinical presentations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective evaluation was carried out using all trauma-relevant ICD-10 codes for trauma to the head (S00.- to S09.-) and neck (S10.- to S19.-) among patients who were treated at the authors' clinic-a certified national trauma center-during a period of 10 years (2012 to and including 2021).

RESULTS

A total of 8375 patients with head and neck trauma were treated during the observation period, i.e., an average of 836 patients per year. Within this collective, 2981 trauma cases involving soft tissue injuries were documented. Superficial injuries to the head (S00.-) and open wounds to the head (S01.-) were the most common head and neck soft tissue injuries, with 1649 and 920 cases, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The case numbers of soft tissue injuries generally show an inverse correlation to the required underlying trauma: diagnoses of the categories S00 and S01 occur very often; injuries which only occur after severe trauma, such as traumatic amputation at neck level (S18), are rare. According to current literature, penetrating neck traumas should be treated using a no-zone approach. In Europe, penetrating neck injuries are rather rare because of low crime rates and strict weapon laws.

Characteristics of fatal penetrating injury; data from a retrospective cohort study in three urban regions in the Netherlands

INTRODUCTION

Penetrating injury (PI) is a relatively rare mechanism of trauma in the Netherlands. Nevertheless, injuries can be severe with high morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study is to assess fatalities due to PI and evaluate the demographic parameters, mechanism of injury and the resulting injury patterns of this group of patients in three Dutch regions.

METHODS

Patients suffering fatal PI (stab- and gunshot injuries), in the period between July 1st 2013 and July 1st 2019, in the region of Amsterdam, Utrecht and The Hague were included. Data were collected from the electronic registration system (Formatus) of the regional departments of Forensic Medicine.

RESULTS

During the study period 283 patients died as the result of PI. The mean age was 44 years (SD 16.9), 83% was male and psychiatric history was reported in 22%. Over 60% of the injuries were due to assault and 35% was self-inflicted. Almost half of the incidents took place at home (47%). Injuries were most frequently to the head (24%) and chest (16%). Mortality was due to exsanguination (chest 27%, multiple body region's 17%, neck 9% and extremities 8%) and traumatic brain injury (21%). Up to 40% of the patients received medical treatment, surgical intervention was performed in 25%. The injuries to the extremities suggest a (potentially) preventable death rate of over 8%. Over 70% of the total population died at the scene.

CONCLUSION

Fatal PI most often involves the relatively young, male, and psychiatric patient. Self-inflicted fatal PI accounted for 35%, addressing the importance of suicide prevention programs. Identification of preventable deaths needs more awareness to reduce the number of fatal PI.

[Update on neck trauma]

BACKGROUND

Important organs and structures are located in the cervical region. In case of blunt and penetrating trauma, emergency situations may arise.

OBJECTIVE

Emergency management as well as diagnostic and therapeutic steps pertaining to neck injuries are presented.

CONCLUSION

Shock therapy and airway management are essential, fast management of neck injuries highly relevant.

25-Year experience with adult polytraumatized patients in a European level 1 trauma center: polytrauma between 1995 and 2019. What has changed? A retrospective cohort study

PURPOSE

To analyze the changes of the clinical characteristics, injury patterns, and mortality rates of polytraumatized patients within the past 25 years in a European Level I trauma center.

METHODS

953 consecutive polytraumatized patients treated at a single-level 1 trauma center between January 1995 and December 2019 were enrolled retrospectively. Polytrauma was defined as AIS ≥ 3 points in at least two different body regions. Retrospective data analysis on changes of clinical characteristics and mortality rates over time.

RESULTS

A significant increase of the average age by 2 years per year of the study could be seen with a significant increase of geriatric patients over time. No changes of the median Injury Severity Score (ISS) could be seen over time, whereas the ISS significantly decreased by patient's year. The rates of concomitant severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) remained constant over time, and did not increase with rising age of the patients. Although, the mortality rate remained constant over time the relative risk of overall in-hospital mortality increased by 1.7% and the relative risk of late-phase mortality increased by 2.2% per patient's year.

CONCLUSION

The number of polytraumatized patients remained constant over the 25-year study period. Also, the mortality rates remained stable over time, although a significant increase of the average age of polytraumatized patients could be seen with stable injury severity scores. Severe TBI and age beyond 65 years remained independent prognostic factors on the late-phase survival of polytraumatized patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT04723992.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic study, level III.

Damage control in penetrating carotid artery trauma: changing a 100-year paradigm

Carotid artery trauma carries a high risk of neurological sequelae and death. Surgical management of these injuries has been controversial because it entails deciding between repair or ligation of the vessel, for which there is still no true consensus either way. This article proposes a new management strategy for carotid artery injuries based on the principles of damage control surgery which include endovascular and/or traditional open repair techniques. The decision to operate immediately or to perform further imaging studies will depend on the patient's hemodynamic status. If the patient presents with massive bleeding, an expanding neck hematoma or refractory hypovolemic shock, urgent surgical intervention is indicated. An altered mental status upon arrival is a potentially poor prognosis marker and should be taken into account in the therapeutic decision-making. We describe a step-by-step algorithmic approach to these injuries, including open and endovascular techniques. In addition, conservative non-operative management has also been included as a potentially viable strategy in selected patients, which avoids unnecessary surgery in many cases.

Civilian Penetrating Neck Trauma at a Level I Trauma Centre: A Five-Year Retrospective Case Note Review

OBJECTIVES

To report the experience of civilian penetrating neck trauma (PNT) at a UK level I trauma centre, propose an initial management algorithm and assess the degree of correlation between clinical signs of injury, operative findings, and radiological reports.

DESIGN

Retrospective case note review SETTING: UK level I trauma centre April 2012-November 2017 PARTICIPANTS: 310 cases of PNT were drawn from electronic patient records. Data was extracted on hard and soft signs of vascular or aerodigestive tract injury, clinical management, radiological imaging and patient outcomes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, morbidity and mortality. The correlation between clinical signs, and radiological reports to internal injury on surgical exploration.

RESULTS

271 (87.4%) male and 39 (13.6%) female patients with a mean age 36 years (16 - 87) were identified. The most common causes of injury were assault 171 (55.2%) and deliberate self-harm 118 (38%). A knife was the most common instrument 240 (77.4%). Past psychiatric history was noted in 119 (38.4%) and 60 (19.4%) were intoxicated. 50% were definitively managed in theatre with a negative exploration rate of 38%, and 50% were managed in ED. Pre-operative radiological reports correlated with operative reports in 62% of cases with venous injury the most common positive and negative finding. Multivariate correlation was r=0.89, p=0.045 between hard signs plus positive radiology findings and internal injury on neck exploration.

CONCLUSIONS

Management of PNT by clinical and radiological signs is safe and effective, and can be streamlined by a decision-making algorithm as proposed here.

La nueva realidad: Manejo endovascular del trauma de carótida

Introducción. La mayoría de las lesiones de carótida cervical en nuestra institución se manejan por vía endovascular. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir los desenlaces del manejo de las lesiones de carótida cervical en un hospital de cuarto nivel en la ciudad de Cali, Colombia. Métodos. Estudio de series de casos, retrospectivo, descriptivo, en pacientes con trauma de carótida (penetrante y cerrado), admitidos en un centro de alta complejidad de la ciudad de Cali, en el periodo comprendido desde enero de 2018 hasta enero de 2020. Resultados. Se evaluaron 20 pacientes con lesión de carótida, de los cuales 90 % tenía trauma penetrante, en su mayoría por proyectil de arma de fuego. La zona más frecuentemente afectada fue la carótida interna (65 %) y el 40 % de los pacientes presentaban síntomas neurológicos al ingreso. Se realizó manejo endovascular en 13 pacientes, con un 75 % de éxito en el manejo endovascular al ingreso. La mortalidad general fue del 20 %, que en su mayoría estuvo relacionada con traumatismo en otros órganos. El 69 % de los pacientes quedaron sin secuelas neurológicas al alta y el 25 % con secuelas mínimas. Discusión. Se muestra una serie de casos con lesión de carótida donde, teniendo en cuenta las variables de mal pronóstico para hacer una selección adecuada de los pacientes candidatos a este tipo de terapia, el resultado del manejo endovascular fue exitoso.

An Audit of Surgical Neck Explorations for Penetrating Neck Injuries in Northwestern Nigeria: Experience from a Teaching Hospital

Background:

Penetrating neck injury is a major trauma mechanism present in about 5%–10% of trauma patients with an estimated mortality of 3%–10%. The management of these injuries is dependent on the anatomical level of injury.

Objectives:

The objective of the study was to document the clinical and operative findings as well as the treatment outcome among our patients who underwent neck exploration for penetrating neck injuries.

Materials and Methods:

A retrospective review of patients who had neck exploration for penetrating neck injury between January 2012 and December 2018 was done.

Results:

Thirty-five patients all of whom had surgical neck exploration were included. The age ranged from 15 to 62 years with a male: female of 7.8:1. The mean age was 30.7 years with standard deviation of ± 12.5 years and the peak age of occurrence of 20–29 years. The mechanism of injury was commonly arrow injury in 9 (25.7%) and suicidal cutthroat in 7 (20%) patients. Thirty-two (91.4%) patients presented with stable vital signs. Zone II neck injuries were most prevalent, seen in 23 (65.7%) patients. Laryngeal injury in 7 (20%) and soft-tissue injury in 7 (20%) of the patients were the most common intraoperative findings. The complication rate of 17.1% with a mortality rate of 2.9% was recorded. There was a statistically significant association between the presence of vascular injury and the development of complications after exploration (Chi-square = 5.666, P = 0.017). It was also a significant positive predictor of complication following neck exploration (odds ratio = 0.017, P = 0.048).

Conclusion:

Male young adults were most involved, commonly from arrow and stab injuries. Although laryngeal and soft-tissue injuries were predominant, vascular injuries were most associated with postoperative complications.

The efficacy of the "no zone" approach for the assessment of traumatic neck injury: a case-control study

Purpose

Recently, several studies have demonstrated symptom-based, non-zonal algorithms for approaching penetrating neck injuries. The purpose of this study was to confirm the effectiveness of the “no zone” approach in traumatic neck injuries.

Methods

Medical charts of patients with traumatic neck injuries who presented at the Regional Trauma Center in South Korea between January 2014 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Negative final neck findings (FNFs) were compared with positive FNFs (which include major vascular, aerodigestive, nerve, endocrine gland, cartilage, or hyoid bone injuries) using multivariate logistic regression analysis including values of the “zone” and/or no zone approach.

Results

Out of 168 trauma patients, 70 patients with a minor injury and 7 patients under the age of 18 years were excluded. Of the remaining 91 patients, 74 (81.3%) had penetrating neck injuries and 17 (18.7%) had blunt neck injuries. Initial diagnosis most frequently revealed external wounds in zone II (84.6%). Twenty (22.0%) and 36 (39.5%) patients had hard and soft signs, respectively, using the no zone approach. Further, there was a significant difference between the negative and positive FNFs in patients with hard signs (11.6% vs. 54.5%; P < 0.01, respectively). According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the hard signs were associated with an odds ratio (OR) for FNFs (OR, 18.92; 95% confidence interval, 3.55–157.60).

Conclusion

Traumatic neck injuries classified as having hard signs based on the no zone approach may be correlated with internal organ injuries of the neck.