Citation

Fletcher JP, Little JM. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Surg. 1988; 58(3): 217-219.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, University of Sydney, NSW.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3415609

Abstract

Injuries to the carotid, subclavian, axillary and vertebral arteries have comprised 19.5% of vascular trauma seen at Westmead Hospital during the period 1979-86. The cause of injury was penetrating trauma in 38.5% of cases, and blunt trauma, due mainly to motor vehicle or motor bike accident, in 61.5% of cases. In most cases (77%) the vascular injury was apparent because of large and/or expanding haematoma or overt haemorrhage. There was a large incidence of associated injury with head injury in 46% and brachial plexus injury in 31%. The mortality was high (46%), with most patients dying from the associated head injury, but one patient died from stroke after presenting with a neurological deficit associated with a carotid injury.

Language: en