Uttam K Bodanapally1,2, Kathirkamanathan Shanmuganathan3,4, David Dreizin3,4, Deborah Stein3,5, Amit K Reddy6, Stuart E Mirvis3,4, Matthew Vasquez3,7, Cassandra Cardarelli3,7, Elizabeth Guardiani3,8. 1. R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22S Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, USA. ubodanapally@umm.edu. 2. Department of Radiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22S Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, USA. ubodanapally@umm.edu. 3. R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22S Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, USA. 4. Department of Radiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22S Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, USA. 5. Department of Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22S Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, USA. 6. University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA. 7. Departement of Surgery, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, USA. 8. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22S Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the specific CT findings of penetrating neck wound profile predicting aerodigestive injuries, diagnostic performance of CTA and to propose a modified selective management algorithm to reduce nontherapeutic invasive procedures. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated CTAs of 102 patients to determine the presence of various CT signs. "Trajectory"-based signs included trajectory of the wound extending into the aerodigestive tract and trajectory violating the deep neck spaces. "Conventional" signs included transcervical injury; wall defect; air or blood in the deep neck spaces; irregular or thickened aerodigestive tract; and active mucosal bleeding. RESULTS: Trajectory of the wound extending into the aerodigestive tract (sensitivity 76 %, specificity 97 %) and trajectory of the wound violating the suprahyoid deep neck spaces or the infrahyoid visceral space (sensitivity 97 %, specificity 55 %) were the best predictors of injury on regression analysis. The most specific "conventional" CT signs were "wall defect" and "active mucosal bleed", but had very low sensitivity. The sensitivity of CTA for detecting an injury ranged from 89.5 % to 92 %, specificity ranged from 62.5 % to 89 %. CONCLUSION: CTA can be a useful technique in detecting aerodigestive injury. Our proposed management algorithm can exclude an injury with high degree of confidence (sensitivity 97 %). KEY POINTS: • Trajectory-based CT signs predict aerodigestive injury after penetrating neck trauma. • Surgery should be considered when trajectory extends into the infra-arytenoid aerodigestive tract. • Endoscopy or exploration should be considered when trajectory violates deep neck spaces. • This modified approach can decrease negative explorations and invasive diagnostic procedures.
OBJECTIVES: To determine the specific CT findings of penetrating neck wound profile predicting aerodigestive injuries, diagnostic performance of CTA and to propose a modified selective management algorithm to reduce nontherapeutic invasive procedures. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated CTAs of 102 patients to determine the presence of various CT signs. "Trajectory"-based signs included trajectory of the wound extending into the aerodigestive tract and trajectory violating the deep neck spaces. "Conventional" signs included transcervical injury; wall defect; air or blood in the deep neck spaces; irregular or thickened aerodigestive tract; and active mucosal bleeding. RESULTS: Trajectory of the wound extending into the aerodigestive tract (sensitivity 76 %, specificity 97 %) and trajectory of the wound violating the suprahyoid deep neck spaces or the infrahyoid visceral space (sensitivity 97 %, specificity 55 %) were the best predictors of injury on regression analysis. The most specific "conventional" CT signs were "wall defect" and "active mucosal bleed", but had very low sensitivity. The sensitivity of CTA for detecting an injury ranged from 89.5 % to 92 %, specificity ranged from 62.5 % to 89 %. CONCLUSION: CTA can be a useful technique in detecting aerodigestive injury. Our proposed management algorithm can exclude an injury with high degree of confidence (sensitivity 97 %). KEY POINTS: • Trajectory-based CT signs predict aerodigestive injury after penetrating neck trauma. • Surgery should be considered when trajectory extends into the infra-arytenoid aerodigestive tract. • Endoscopy or exploration should be considered when trajectory violates deep neck spaces. • This modified approach can decrease negative explorations and invasive diagnostic procedures.