[Rupture, emergency ligature and elective ligature of the carotid artery]

680 patients underwent surgery with radical neck dissection and tumour resection because of malignant diseases of the upper respiratory and digestive tract. Further therapy was pre- and/or postoperative radiation and in some cases preoperative cytostatic therapy. Carotid "blow out" occurred in 18 patients (2,6%) because of fistula formation, bad wound healing and tumour recurrence. Emergency ligation of the common carotid artery or internal carotid artery caused no neurological casualties in 70% of the patients. 4 patients underwent elective carotid ligation. Here, too, no neurological signs were seen. In these patients sufficient collateral perfusion was proved by angiography with balloonocclusion under simultaneous EEG-registration and measurement of the brain perfusion with 133 xenon.