Cerebral Infarction Caused by the Blunt Component of a Penetrating Neck Trauma: Report of a Case

The blunt component in a penetrating neck injury is easy to be overlooked and it may cause a subsequent cerebral infarction. We reported a man aged 23 years who suffered from weakness of left limbs after a penetrating neck trauma. Although initial brain CT revealed no focal lesions, the carotid duplex showed an aneurysm with thrombus at right internal carotid artery (ICA). The angiogram showed an aneurysm adjacent to the bifurcation of internal and external carotid arteries (ECA) with well opacification of right internal and external carotid arteries. Surgical ligation of the aneurysm was performed on the next day. Follow-up brain CT revealed a hemorrhagic infarction over right temporal lobe. After strenuous rehabilitation, he was able to ambulate without any assisting device and could perform daily activities independently. This report indicates that a penetrating neck trauma may provide a risk for cerebral infarction.