Neck trauma (injury)

About Neck trauma (injury)

The neck contains many important and vulnerable structures. Trauma can be blunt from a motor vehicle accident or fall, or be penetrating from a gunshot wound or stabbing. The following injuries can occur: tracheal (causing airway obstruction); esophageal (leading to mediastinitis); carotid artery or vena cava (causing exsanguinations or stroke); cervical spine (sometimes resulting in fracture and/or paralysis).

Symptoms

Depends on which structures are damaged. Tracheal injuries: problems breathing, air in the soft tissue of the neck, airway blockage. Esophageal injuries: difficulty swallowing, chest pain, air in the soft tissues of the neck. Carotid or vena cava injuries: expanding mass in neck, profuse bleeding from neck, weakness, focal neurological deficits, coma. Cervical spine injuries: neck pain, weakness, inability to move the arms and/or the legs, difficulty breathing, numbness.

Tests & Diagnostics

A history and physical exam will be performed. Additional tests may be done dependent on the mechanism and extent of suspected injury.

Common tests: Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, EKG, MRI, Troponin, X-ray.

Conventional treatment summary

Treatment depends on the injured structures. Immediate surgery may be needed. Intubation to establish an airway will be performed if airway damage is suspected.

Medical specialties

Neurosurgery · Trauma Surgery · Pediatric Neurosurgery

This page is educational content, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment of Neck trauma (injury).