Vigilance in detecting traumatic blunt neck injuries: A case report

Author: Mohd Razaleigh Yusof ; Tony Yong Yee Kong ; Andee Dzulkarnaen Zakaria
Publication Type:Case Report
Keywords: Carotid artery dissection; blunt neck trauma
From:International e-Journal of Science, Medicine and Education 2017;11(2):24-29
CountryMalaysia
Language:English
Abstract: There has been an increase in the number of Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA) in Malaysia throughout the years. Although blunt neck injury is uncommon, it is associated with severe, permanent neurological deficit with risk of mortality. This case is a classical presentation of a young male involved in a MVA who sustained head and neck injuries of varying severity. After a short symptom free interval, the patient started to develop neurological signs. Presenting signs and symptoms include Horner’s syndrome, dysphasia, hemiparesis, obtundation or monoparesis. A computed tomography (CT) scan of brain must be done and if the findings showed that there is no intracranial bleeding (ICB), high suspicions with further evaluation should be done. Confirmation can be obtained by Doppler ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), CT angiography (CTA) or catheter angiography to rule out carotid artery injury.