Traumatic Retropharyngeal Hematoma following Cervical Vascular Injury: A Case Report

Traumatic retropharyngeal hematoma is a potentially life-threatening complication of cervical spine injury due to possible airway obstruction. Treatment by securing airway and subsequent conservative care is often adequate. However, a rapidly expanding large hematoma requires surgical evacuation. We present a case of 55-year-old man with a retropharyngeal hematoma secondary to cervical vascular injury without associated cervical fracture. The patient was successfully treated with endovascular arterial embolization and subsequent percutaneous drainage under fluoroscopic guidance without any sequelae.