Characterization of Patients with Carotid Artery Trauma in a 4th Level Hospital in a Ten Years Period

Carotid trauma is a well-known entity with severe morbidity and high rates of mortality. Due to its low frequency of appearance an interdisciplinary effort is needed to get at diagnosis. We reviewed 946 clinical histories with a diagnosis of cervical trauma, cervical fracture, vascular trauma of the neck and craniofacial trauma looking for Denver´s risk factors for carotid trauma in a 10 years period in a 4th level Colombian hospital. Overall, 36 patients where found, most of them Young men. The most frequent trauma mechanism was violence-related, no blunt carotid trauma was diagnosed in this study, none received stroke prophylactic treatment, although no stroke was reported. Our study describes a population of patients with open cervical trauma despite the inclusion of blunt vascular trauma criteria showing that there is a lack in the approach and treatment of these patients in the emergency room. Actually, we are aiming for a complete treatment guide that leads us bring optimal diagnosis and treatment.