Penetrating neck injuries—a review of three years experience at a London major trauma unit

Abstract

Background: Penetrating neck injuries in the UK are on the increase and the most common weapon used is a knife. Life threatening vascular and aero-digestive injuries as well as nerve damage are the main concern. A systematic but dynamic protocol for managing such patients is required in order for the best outcomes to be achieved. Some patients will require immediate operative intervention, others may present with less dramatic signs and the correct imaging modality will be necessary to identify potential deep injuries. We present our 3 year experience as a major trauma centre and describe the current management principles in our department.