Outcomes of penetrating carotid artery injuries: A South African multicentre study.

Background: This multicenter study examines the contemporary management of penetrating carotid artery injury (PCAI) to identify trends in management, outcomes, and to determine prognostic factors for stroke and death.

Methods: Data from three large urban trauma centers in South Africa were retrospectively reviewed for patients who presented with PCAI from 2012 to 2020.

Results: Of 149 identified patients, 137 actively managed patients were included.

Selective nonoperative management of pharyngoesophageal injuries secondary to penetrating neck trauma: A single-center review of 86 cases.

Background: This article describes our experience with penetrating pharyngoesophageal injuries (PEI) in the light of a selective conservative approach, and has the objective to define criteria for nonoperative management (NOM).

Methods: This retrospective single-center review of patients with penetrating neck injury treated for confirmed PEI over a 6-year period aimed to test our proposed hypothesis that NOM is safe for hemodynamically stable patients with PEI, who have no competing indications for exploration, have no established sepsis, and who have a water-soluble contrast swallow either showing no- or a contained extravasation.

Results: Eighty-six (9%) patients with PEI (oropharynx, 17; hypopharynx, 40; esophagus, 29) of 948 patients with penetrating neck injury were included.

The Selective Non-operative Management of Penetrating Cervical Venous Trauma is Safe and Effective.

Background: This paper reviews our experience with penetrating cervical venous trauma and aims to validate the selective non-operative management (SNOM) of these injuries.

Methods: This was a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained registry. All patients presenting alive with an injury to the internal jugular vein, subclavian vein or innominate vein following a PNI were reviewed for a 6-year period.

The role of computed tomography angiography in the detection of aerodigestive tract injury following penetrating neck injury.

Background: The purpose of this study was to audit our experience with computed tomography angiography (CTA) for the detection of aerodigestive tract injury (ADTI) following penetrating neck injury (PNI) and to assess the significance of deep surgical emphysema on CTA.

Methods: A prospectively maintained trauma registry at the Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan Trauma Service, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa was retrospectively interrogated. The data of all patients with PNI investigated with CTA over a 4-y period were reviewed.