Iatrogenic carotid artery injury in neurosurgery

Abstract

The quantitative analysis of unfavorable outcome and complication is indispensable for effective risk management. Common complications such as perforator infarction after clipping of the cerebral aneurysm, for example, have been well investigated. However, I regret to say, rare complications are not necessarily investigated so far. In particular, “iatrogenic” complications such as carotid artery injury have been rarely reviewed since it implies some medical liability problem, and such iatrogenic complications are not always reported in official journals. In this sense, this is an extensive review of an important complication that may be underestimated so far. Readers can get in touch with the knowledge of these rare but serious iatrogenic complications. I am confident that this knowledge will help neurosurgeons to avoid these serious complications. The remarkable point of this review is that it has thoroughly reviewed all aspects of iatrogenic carotid artery injuries, including very common procedures such as central venous catheterization. In addition, the authors ranged extensively into the literature over these rare complications and showed us quantitative data. I am quite sure that this paper may give truly educative and practical information to all readers of this journal. I am confident that this paper will be cited hereafter due to its quantitative data and its extensive review of the literature.