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Cerebral symptoms after whiplash injury of the neck: a prospective clinical and neuropsychological study of whiplash injury.

Twenty one unselected patients with an acute whiplash injury of the neck had neurological and neuropsychological assessment, cervical x rays, EEG, BAEP, MRI, and an otoneurological examination within two weeks of the injury. Subjectively, 13 patients reported concentration deficits, 18 reported sleep disturbances, 9 had symptoms of depression, and 7 female patients told of menstrual irregularities. Neuropsychological examination revealed significantly lower performance in tests related to attention and concentration compared to sex, age and educational matched control subjects. Otoneurological examination showed abnormalities in 9 of 17 whiplash subjects. EEG showed questionable changes in 8 of 18 recordings. MRI and BAEP were normal in all patients. Repeat neuropsychological testing in 15 patients at three months showed that attention deficits had improved but were still shown in 12 of 14 and the concentration deficits in 8 of 13 patients. At one year all patients had returned to work, 16 to full and 5 to part time employment. In 4, cognitive dysfunction remained the only significant problem. These findings are discussed as being compatible with possible damage to basal frontal and upper brain stem structures after whiplash injury of the neck.

Adolescent↗

Trauma radiology: part III. Diagnostic and therapeutic angiography in trauma.

Angiography has a central role in both diagnosis and therapy of traumatic vascular injuries from blunt and penetrating mechanisms. Angiography is considered the "gold standard" for establishing the presence of vascular injury, but precise indications and appropriate timing of angiography in certain clinical situations, such as proximity injury to the extremities or penetrating neck injuries, remain controversial. We consider the role of angiography in the diagnosis of major arterial injury in the thorax, selective use of diagnostic and therapeutic angiography for intraabdominal trauma, identification and control of pelvic hemorrhage, and detection of vascular injury of the head, neck, and extremities.

Angiography↗

The nonoperative management of penetrating internal jugular vein injury.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to review the outcome of nonoperative treatment for penetrating internal jugular vein (IJ) injuries in a continuous series of prospectively identified, hemodynamically stable patients. METHODS: All penetrating neck injuries assessed from February 1, 2004, to August 31, 2004, were prospectively identified. Patients without an indication for urgent neck exploration underwent diagnostic assessment with multislice helical computed tomographic angiography with or without vascular ultrasonography. All IJ injuries with no other indication for surgical exploration were treated nonoperatively. All patients were discharged home and followed up for a minimum of 1 week to document outcomes. RESULTS: From 51 neck injuries penetrating the platysma, 7 required urgent neck exploration, during which 2 IJ injuries were ligated. Forty-four patients underwent multislice helical computed tomographic angiography. Eight IJ injuries (two gunshot wounds and six stab wounds) with no other indication for neck exploration were identified and managed nonoperatively. One external wound was in zone 1, five were in zone 2, one was in zone 3, and one traversed all three zones. The average length of stay was 4.5 days. At follow-up, ranging from 1 week to 5 months, all patients were asymptomatic, and no patient required delayed operation for IJ injury. CONCLUSIONS: In hemodynamically stable patients with no other indication for exploration, the nonoperative management of penetrating jugular vein injuries should be considered as a safe alternative.

Adolescent↗

Critical airway compromise caused by neck haematoma.

The recognition and treatment of the compromised airway needs to be quick and systematic. Airway obstruction, can rapidly progresses to anoxia irreversible cerebral damage and death, within four to five minutes. Management of the unstable airway has the highest treatment priority regardless of the presence of other medical conditions. We report the clinical course of minor anterior neck injury in two elderly patients taking oral anticoagulants. Both patients developed sudden airway obstruction, due to circumferential neck haematoma; six to eight hours post injury. The rapid neck swelling caused upper airway compression and rapid desaturation. Both patients required urgent orotracheal intubation in the emergency room. Patients with a history of blunt neck trauma may initially appear stable, then quickly decompensate and require an emergency airway.

Aged↗

Penetrating neck trauma in children: an urban hospital's experience.

OBJECTIVE: As the incidence of violent crime increases in our society, the rate of penetrating head and neck trauma in children also rises. The methods of management of pediatric penetrating neck wounds are addressed. METHODS: All clinical records of children younger than 18 years admitted with penetrating neck injuries between 1990 and 1997 were reviewed. The injuries were classified according to type and location of the neck wound. Demographic data, clinical presentation, diagnostic studies, and management techniques were evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-five children aged 6 to 18 years old were evaluated for 31 missile wounds and 4 stab wounds. There were 30 boys and 5 girls. Fourteen percent of injuries were in zone 1, 60% in zone II, and 26% in zone III. Of the 33% of children with zone II penetrating neck traumas who underwent selective neck explorations, 86% had significant intraoperative findings. The mortality rates for zones I, II, and III were 60%, 29%, and 56%, respectively. The overall mortality rate was 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Penetrating neck trauma in children may lead to potentially life-threatening injuries. Selective management of penetrating head and neck injuries in children can be a safe and effective policy in an experienced trauma center.

Adolescent↗

Predicting multiplanar cervical spine injury due to head-turned rear impacts using IV-NIC.

OBJECTIVE: Intervertebral Neck Injury Criterion (IV-NIC) hypothesizes that dynamic three-dimensional intervertebral motion beyond physiological limit may cause multiplanar soft-tissue injury. Present goals, using biofidelic whole human cervical spine model with muscle force replication and surrogate head in head-turned rear impacts, were to: (1) correlate IV-NIC with multiplanar injury, (2) determine IV-NIC injury threshold at each intervertebral level, and (3) determine time and mode of dynamic intervertebral motion that caused injury. METHODS: Impacts were simulated at 3.5, 5, 6.5, and 8 g horizontal accelerations of T1 vertebra (n = 6; average age: 80.2 years; four male, two female donors). IV-NIC was defined at each intervertebral level and in each motion plane as dynamic intervertebral rotation divided by physiological limit. Three-plane pre- and post-impact flexibility testing measured soft-tissue injury; that is significant increase in neutral zone (NZ) or range of motion (RoM) at any intervertebral level, above baseline. IV-NIC injury threshold was average IV-NIC peak at injury onset. RESULTS: IV-NIC extension peaks correlated best with multiplanar injuries (P < 0.001): extension RoM (R = 0.55) and NZ (R = 0.42), total axial rotation RoM (R = 0.42) and NZ (R = 0.41), and total lateral bending NZ (R = 0.39). IV-NIC injury thresholds ranged between 1.1 at C0-C1 and C3-C4 to 2.9 at C7-T1. IV-NIC injury threshold times were attained between 83.4 and 150.1 ms following impact. CONCLUSIONS: Correlation between IV-NIC and multiplanar injuries demonstrated that three-plane intervertebral instability was primarily caused by dynamic extension beyond the physiological limit during head-turned rear impacts.

Acceleration↗

BAEP and E.M.G. changes from whiplash injuries.

The frequent negativity of neuroradiological changes after neck injury despite the constant complaints (neck pain and stiffness, limited neck movements, arm pains) experienced after a motor vehicle crash has led us to verify the diagnostic and prognostic validity of different neurophysiological tests in these patients. To this aim 120 young patients (67 females and 53 males) referred for a whiplash syndrome aged 18-31 years without neuroradiological abnormalities have been submitted to EMG and BAEP studies immediately after the traffic accident and after six months. Constant slowing of median MNCV and SNCV and ulnar SNCV without changes in morphology, amplitude and duration of MAP and SAP have been observed in 92 patients, with persistent abnormalities in 64 cases after six months. Increase in I-III or I-V interpeak interval of BAEP have been observed unilaterally in 45 patients and bilaterally in 32 ones without changes in absolute latencies and V/I amplitude ratio, with persistence of such abnormalities in 31 and 16 patients respectively after six months. Simultaneous abnormalities of all neurophysiological tests have been observed in 31 patients, with unmodified recordings after six months in 24 patients. The above findings could be accounted for subtle cerebral lesions and a possible damage to brain stem structures as claimed by Ettlin et al. (1992). The usefulness of the above proposed neurophysiological tests in assessment of asymptomatic dysfunction of central motor and sensory pathways in whiplash injuries is discussed.

Adolescent↗

External laryngotracheal trauma.

Differences in acute external injuries of the larynx and cervical trachea between peace-time and war trauma were studied. Twenty-six patients with peace-time injuries and 39 patients with war injuries were retrospectively analyzed. The incidence of peace-time laryngotracheal injuries was 0.91% of the total number of patients hospitalized for head and neck injuries. In the groups of wounded in action (WIA) and killed in action (KIA) with head and neck war injuries, the incidence of laryngotracheal injuries was 4.8 and 6.2%, respectively. According to the type of the wound, blunt injuries were most common among peace-time and penetrating wounds among war injuries. There was no difference between peace-time and war injuries according to the wound localization. War wounds were more severe, caused more extensive local tissue and organ defects, were associated with a greater number of lesions to the neck and other body regions and more often required reconstructive surgical procedures than peace-time injuries. The mortality of war laryngotracheal injuries was two times greater than that of peace-time lesions (9 vs. 3.8%).

Adolescent↗

[Immediate management of rupture and soft tissue injuries in the area of the head-neck].

Most injuries to the head and neck region are accompanied by trauma to the soft tissue. The management of the wound depends on whether it is a superficial or a penetrating trauma. Penetrating traumas may injure bloodvessels, nerve structures and the upper aerodigestive tract. The initial evaluation of a patient with a neck wound should proceed with the basic rules of trauma management (Airway, Bleeding, Circulation). It is suggested, that all wounds deep to the platysma should be explored. Penetrating injuries through the airway should be considered in cases of hoarsness, dyspnea or direct visualization of the airway. In case of dyspnoe the patient should be intubated. In an unstable airway a tracheotomy must be considered. Injuries to the airway demand special care and immediate reconstruction since otherwise it can lead to permanent damage. Hemorrhage and hematoma are the most common symptoms of penetrating neck injuries. Poor initial control of bleeding is the most common cause of death. Uncontrolled clamping of vessels in the neck should be avoided since it can lead to damage of uninvolved structures especially nerves. The neck is divided into 3 zones. Zone I is the area below the sternal notch, Zone II lies between the sternal notch and the angle of the mandible. Zone III is the area above the angle of the mandible. Zone I and III injuries are evaluated with angiography. Zone II injuries are evaluated by surgery. Therapy of Zone I and III is difficult and needs mandibulotomy or resection of the clavicle to gain exposure to the vessels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Craniocerebral Trauma↗

Trampolines revisited: a review of 114 pediatric recreational trampoline injuries.

A search of the medical literature failed to reveal any articles that discuss pediatric injuries acquired on privately owned recreational trampolines. This study was undertaken to quantify and qualify pediatric injuries from recreational trampoline use. A group of 114 patients who presented to the Emergency Department at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, with injuries directly related to use of a trampoline are discussed. There was a 1.2:1 male-female ratio. The average age was 8.0 years. Forty-eight percent of the patients were injured on their family's trampoline, with the remainder injured on a friend's, neighbor's, relative's, or gymnasium's equipment. The majority of injuries involved group use of the trampoline and the youngest person in a group was most often the injured participant. Extremity injuries were seen in 55% of the patient and head or neck injuries in 37%. Seventy-five percent of the patients required radiographs, 23% hospitalization, and 17% operative intervention. The history of the trampoline and medical literature discussions concerning injuries and safety are reviewed.

Athletic Injuries↗

Penetrating injuries of the neck in patients in stable condition. Physical examination, angiography, or color flow Doppler imaging.

BACKGROUND: The initial assessment of penetrating injuries of the neck is controversial, with angiography remaining the gold standard for identifying vascular injuries. Recent reports suggest that physical examination might be an accurate way to evaluate these injuries. Color flow Doppler imaging has been used with promising results to assess extremity injuries, but the role of color flow Doppler imaging in neck injuries has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate and compare the roles of physical examination, color flow Doppler imaging, and angiography in the identification and management of penetrating neck injuries. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study of patients in stable condition with penetrating injuries of the neck. All study patients were examined according to a written clinical protocol and subsequently underwent angiography and color flow Doppler imaging. The sensitivity and specificity of physical examination and color flow Doppler imaging were compared with those of angiography. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients fulfilled the criteria for inclusion in the study. Angiography demonstrated vascular lesions in 11 patients (13.4%), but only two (2.4%) of them required treatment. Serious injuries were detected or suspected during physical examination, but six lesions not requiring treatment were missed. When injuries not requiring treatment were excluded, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 91%. With color flow Doppler imaging, 10 of the 11 injuries were identified, for a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 98.6%. The sensitivity and specificity were 100% for clinically important lesions. CONCLUSION: The combination of a careful physical examination and color flow Doppler imaging provides a reliable way to assess penetrating neck trauma and may be a safe alternative to routine contrast angiography.

Adolescent↗

155 vascular injuries: a retrospective study in Kuwait, 1992-2000.

OBJECTIVES: To audit the management of vascular trauma in Kuwait, 1992-2000. DESIGN: Retrospective open study. SETTING: Vascular surgery unit, teaching hospital, Kuwait. SUBJECTS: 155 patients with vascular injuries, most of which (n = 118) involved the extremities. 21 had neck injuries, 10 abdominal, and 6 chest. INTERVENTION: Revascularisation usually using the long saphenous vein in addition to direct repair or end-to-end anastomosis. MAIN OUTCOME: Morbidity (amputation) and mortality. RESULTS: Four lower limb grafts failed, two of which (2/69, 3%) required amputation. Overall, four patients died (3%), one of pulmonary embolism and 3 of severe injuries to major abdominal vessels. 3/10 patients with abdominal vascular trauma died. Mean (SD) follow up period was 4.4 (2) years. CONCLUSIONS: Civilian violence has increased in Kuwait. Vascular trauma to abdominal vessels is associated with high mortality. Autogenous saphenous vein forms an excellent conduit for revascularisation.

Abdominal Injuries↗

Bicycle helmet efficacy: a meta-analysis.

Bicycle helmet efficacy was quantified using a formal meta-analytic approach based on peer-reviewed studies. Only those studies with individual injury and helmet use data were included. Based on studies from several countries published in the period 1987-1998, the summary odds ratio estimate for efficacy is 0.40 (95% confidence interval 0.29, 0.55) for head injury, 0.42 (0.26, 0.67) for brain injury, 0.53 (0.39, 0.73) for facial injury and 0.27 (0.10, 0.71) for fatal injury. This indicates a statistically significant protective effect of helmets. Three studies provided neck injury results that were unfavourable to helmets with a summary estimate of 1.36 (1.00, 1.86), but this result may not be applicable to the lighter helmets currently in use. In conclusion, the evidence is clear that bicycle helmets prevent serious injury and even death. Despite this, the use of helmets is sub-optimal. Helmet use for all riders should be further encouraged to the extent that it is uniformly accepted and analogous to the use of seat belts by motor vehicle occupants.

Adult↗

Management of penetrating laryngotracheal injuries.

BACKGROUND: Penetrating laryngotracheal injuries are uncommon; however, these injuries are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In an attempt to define the management of penetrating laryngotracheal injuries, we reviewed our experience with these injuries. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of all patients admitted to a Level I trauma center who required operative management for penetrating laryngotracheal injuries. During the period of this study all patients with penetrating neck injuries were managed according to a protocol of selective exploration. RESULTS: Of fifty-seven patients with penetrating laryngotracheal injury 32 patients sustained gunshot wounds and 25 had stab wounds. The injuries were to the larynx in 24 (42%) and trachea in 33 (58%). Forty-six (81%) had isolated airway injuries and 11 (19%) had combined airway and digestive-tract injuries. Emergent airway management in 32 (56%) patients included: tracheostomy (15), endotracheal intubation (14), and cricothyroidotomy (3). Respiratory distress and subcutaneous crepitus were the commonest clinical findings. Diagnostic evaluation included: laryngoscopy/ tracheoscopy (17), esophagoscopy (12), contrast esophagography (9), angiography (8), and bronchoscopy (3). Repair of laryngotracheal and esophageal injury was performed in the majority of patients. Selected patients with milder laryngotracheal injury did not have tracheostomy performed, with no increase in morbidity or mortality. There were 2 (3.5%) early deaths from associated major vascular injury. CONCLUSION: Mortality can be minimized by aggressive airway control. Endotracheal intubation can be accomplished safely in selected patients with penetrating laryngotracheal injuries. Digestive-tract injuries can often clinically occult and contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality; therefore, early evaluation of the esophagus is vital. Simple repair of laryngotracheal and digestive-tract injuries can be performed safely with good results. In patients with minor injuries, tracheostomy does not appear to be mandatory.

Adolescent↗

Helmet use improves outcomes after motorcycle accidents.

To determine the effects of motorcycle helmet use on the outcome of patients admitted to a Level I trauma center, we studied patient outcomes and demographic and epidemiologic variables of 474 patients injured in motorcycle collisions and treated at such a center over a 45-month period. Of those involved in a motorcycle collision, 50% were not wearing a helmet, 23% were wearing a helmet, and in 27% helmet use was unknown. Those who were wearing a helmet had fewer and less severe head and facial injuries, required fewer days on a ventilator, and sustained no serious neck injuries; fewer patients who wore helmets were discharged with disability, and hospital charges were lower. These data support the need for both increased public education regarding helmet use and mandatory helmet use legislation.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Delayed symptoms and death after minor head trauma with occult vertebral artery injury.

Head injury without loss of consciousness is seldom accompanied by grave complications. We report the case of an 18 year old cyclist who was struck by a car in a minor road traffic accident, suffered minor head injury without loss of consciousness, and died unexpectedly seven weeks later with vomiting and coma. Necropsy revealed an expanding cerebellar infarct and vertebral artery thrombosis, superimposed on an old dissecting intramural haematoma of the right vertebral artery in the atlantoaxial region. Vertebrobasilar occlusion after minor head trauma, hyperextending or rotating neck injury, or neck manipulation is commonest in young people. Occult ligamentous injury to the cervical spine after trauma may be a contributing factor to the pathogenesis of vertebral artery damage after injury to the neck.

Adolescent↗

[Vertebral artery injury following mild neck trauma: report of two cases].

Two cases of vertebral artery injury following mild neck trauma are reported. A 52-year-old man was hospitalized with gait disturbance 7 days after mild traffic accident. Right vertebral angiogram revealed complete occlusion of the rt. vertebral artery (VA) and MR images revealed infarction in the rt. cerebellar hemisphere and rt. dorsolateral part of the medulla oblongata and revealed the thrombus in the rt. VA. He underwent anticoagulation and became asymptomatic. Angiogram 6 months later revealed the vessel to be normal. A 23-year-old man who has a habit of self-manipulation of his neck was hospitalized on the day when he experienced dysesthesia in the left part of his face and left upper and lower extremities and unsteady gait. MR images revealed multiple infarction in bilateral cerebellar hemispheres and thrombus in bilateral VAs. Bilateral vertebral angiogram revealed severe stenoses of bilateral VAs. He underwent anticoagulation and wore soft collar. Angiogram 20 days after onset revealed improvement of bilateral VA stenoses. He was discharged with no neurological deficit. It is said that vertebral artery injuries in association with head and neck trauma are relatively rare, but this condition is possible to be more common than realized, considering that the case of unilateral VA occlusion or the case with well developed collateral circulation is sometimes well tolerated for ischemia and that this condition can occur even after mild head and neck injury. The diagnosis must be established by vertebral angiogram, but MRI and MRA are very useful as ancillary methods. The therapeutic point is to prevent propagation of the thrombus and distal embolism, accordingly wearing a collar and anticoagulation are important.

Adult↗

Penetrating trauma to the carotid vessels.

Over a 13 year period extending between April 1975 and June 1988, 510 neck injuries were treated at the American University of Beirut Medical Center; the carotid vessels were involved in 48 patients, resulting in 53 carotid injuries. The mean age of the patients was 25.3 years and shrapnel injuries were the commonest (45.8%), followed by bullet wounds (33%). Thirty-nine patients had a laceration and five had complete disruption of the carotid vessels and only three presented in coma. Shock was present in 14 patients, of whom five had a neurological deficit. In six the injured vessels were ligated, three of them were external carotid arteries. Nine patients were not initially operated on. Six of them had a chronic arterio-venous fistula and three were in coma. The remainder underwent surgical repair. Nine patients died, giving an overall mortality rate of 18.8%. Four of these died because of multisystem failure, thus giving a 10.4% mortality rate for the isolated carotid injury. There was definite improvement in the repaired group, but the haemodynamic status seemed to significantly affect the mortality rate (P less than 0.01). Follow-up of surviving patients has revealed five with persistent neurological deficits in the repaired group (33 patients), and four patients with a chronic arterio-venous fistula. Two patients had a false aneurysm. Carotid artery injury seems to have a good prognosis if repaired promptly within 3 h.

Adult↗