Outcomes of open neck injuries

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Emergency Medicine
• Surgical Critical Care

Background:

• The neck's critical anatomy, including the trachea, esophagus, major blood vessels, and spinal cord, makes it vulnerable to severe injury from penetrating trauma.
• Open neck injuries can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality due to the potential for damage to vital structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the assessment and management strategies for patients with open neck injuries.
• To analyze epidemiological data, trauma mechanisms, and outcomes associated with open neck injuries.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 32 patients with open neck injuries admitted to a Level I Trauma Center between December 2015 and December 2017.
• Patients underwent computed tomographic angiography (CTA) for injury evaluation after vital sign stabilization.
• Data collected included epidemiology, trauma mechanism, injured organs, complications, and mortality.

Main Results:

• The airway was the most frequently injured organ among the 32 patients.
• Twenty-seven patients (84.4%) required surgical intervention.
• Five deaths occurred, with bleeding identified as the primary cause of mortality.

Conclusions:

• Mortality in open neck injury patients was significantly associated with lower initial systolic blood pressure and lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores upon hospital arrival.
• These factors are critical indicators for predicting outcomes and guiding management in open neck trauma.