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. 2017 Mar;69(1):35-41.
doi: 10.1007/s12070-016-1033-x. Epub 2016 Nov 29.

Cut Throat Injury: Our Experience in Rural Set-Up

Debdulal Chakraborty  1 , Chiranjib Das  2 , Arvind Kumar Verma  1 , Rajesh Hansda  1
Affiliations

Cut Throat Injury: Our Experience in Rural Set-Up

Debdulal Chakraborty et al. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2017 Mar.

Abstract

Cut throat injuries are one of the emergency conditions managed by ENT specialists. If not treated in time, they may lead to death. Prevention of these complications depends on immediate resuscitation by securing the airway by tracheostomy or intubation, prompt control of hemorrhage and blood replacement. The present study was conducted to study the sociodemographic profile of patients of cut throat injury, motives behind cut throat injury, site and depth of the injury, treatment given at our hospital and outcome. A prospective study was done in the department of ENT in a tertiary care hospital of rural West Bengal between January 2014 and December 2015. Patients who were brought dead and minor neck injury were excluded from the study. Endotracheal intubation where possible, or emergency tracheostomy was done below the level of injury. Ryle's tube was inserted where necessary. Injured structures were repaired in layers. Among 22 patients there were 18 male and 4 female. The peak age of incidence was in the 4th decade of life. Suicidal cut throat injury was the most common mode of injury. Most of the injuries were in the zone II (72.73%). Three patients died due to severe haemorrhage and/or aspiration. Decannulation was possible in 9 out of 12 patients. Cut throat injuries have become a major cause of morbidity and mortality in our society. Patients with injury of larynx or upper trachea need preliminary tracheostomy. Post-operative endoscopy identifies nerve injuries and stenosis problems.

Keywords: Cut throat injury; Laryngo-tracheal stenosis; Suicidal; Tracheostomy; Zone II.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

None.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Homicidal cut throat injury dividing thyroid cartilage and exposing posterior pharyngeal wall seen behind Ryle’s tube
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Suicidal cut throat injury exposing hyoid bone and floor of mouth
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Homicidal cut throat injury in an infant dividing thyroid cartilage
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Immediate post-op picture of repair of cut throat injury
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Healed scar of cut throat injury and tracheostoma site
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Wound haematoma after repair of cut throat injury
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Temporary pharyngo-cutaneous fistula following repair of cut throat injury
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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