Neck Trauma

The hardest question… Should you get a CTA?



Blunt Trauma of Neck



* Obtain CTA if…* Patient has neurologic deficit* Numbness* Weakness* Visual changes* Patient sustained forceful impact to the neck* Patient has fracture* Basilar skull* Facial bones* Cervical spine



Penetrating Trauma of the Neck



* Go to OR if patient is unstable* Go to OR if patient has HARD signs* HARD Bruit Mnemonic* Hemoptysis/Hematemesis/Hypotension* Arterial bleeding* Rapidly expanding hematoma* Deficit (neurologic/pulse)* Bruit* Otherwise obtain CTA of the neck



Additional Reading



* Neck Trauma: A Practice Update (emDOCs)