Emergent surgical repair for penetrating injury of the cervical carotid artery associated with shock

Abstract

A 41-year-old male presented with penetrating carotid artery injury after being stabbed in the left neck with a knife. He had profuse bleeding from the wound and was in hemorrhagic shock. No neuroimaging evaluation was possible, so emergent surgery was begun with continuous manual compression of the left neck. Graft reconstruction of the injured carotid artery was performed. He recovered well without neurological deficits. Urgent hemostasis is required for patients with penetrating carotid artery injury presenting with shock. Surgical reconstruction of the carotid artery with a vascular graft is a safe option.