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[Rupture of the internal carotid artery following blunt cranio-cerebral trauma]
Zentralblatt Fur Neurochirurgie
|January 1, 1975
Insights
A severe head injury caused a fatal internal carotid artery hemorrhage in an 18-year-old. Autopsy confirmed fractures and arterial rupture, highlighting the risks of blunt cerebro-cranial trauma.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Trauma Surgery
- Forensic Pathology
Background:
- Blunt cerebro-cranial trauma can lead to severe intracranial injuries.
- Internal carotid artery (ICA) injuries are rare but critical complications of head trauma.
- Hemorrhage from the intracranial ICA carries a high mortality rate.
Observation:
- An 18-year-old patient presented with fatal outcomes 6 hours post-blunt head trauma.
- The trauma involved multiple fractures of the cranial base.
- Autopsy revealed brain contusions and pontine hemorrhages.
Findings:
- A critical finding was a hemorrhage from the intracranial extradural portion of the internal carotid artery.
- Directly associated with the trauma, a rupture of the right internal carotid artery wall was identified within the fractured carotid canal.
- These injuries collectively led to the patient's rapid demise.
Implications:
- This case underscores the potential for catastrophic vascular injury from seemingly isolated blunt head trauma.
- Accurate diagnosis and prompt management of ICA injuries are crucial for improving outcomes in trauma patients.
- Forensic analysis is vital in determining the mechanism of injury and cause of death in such cases.
Abstract:
Report on an 18-year-old patient who died 6 hours after a blunt cerebro-cranial trauma due to a hemorrhage from the intracranial extradural part of the internal carotid artery. Autopsy revealed multiple fractures of the cranial basis, hemorrhages due to brain contusion and hemorrhages of the pons as well as a rupture of the wall of the right internal carotid artery within the fractured carotid canal.