Neck trauma: diagnosis and management in the emergency department.

Abstract

Neck trauma is an uncommon but serious presenting complaint in the emergency department. Many vital structures may be affected in a patient with a traumatic neck injury, including the airway, digestive tract, and carotid and vertebral arteries. Emergency clinicians must also be prepared to diagnose and manage occult and delayed presentations of injury related to neck trauma. This supplement reviews advances and best practices in the evaluation and management of patients with neck trauma, with a focus on evidence-based guidelines. A streamlined algorithm is provided as well as discussion of recent changes and controversies in neck trauma management in the prehospital and emergency department settings.