NECK TRAUMA

Course overview

THE MANAGEMENT OF NECK TRAUMA CAN BE CHALLENGING AND SOMETIMES OVERWHELMING, AS THIS ANATOMICAL REGION CONTAINS MANY VITAL STRUCTURES. THESE STRUCTURES MAY POSE A DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC DILEMMA IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. FOR DESCRIPTIVE AND CLINICAL MANAGEMENT PURPOSES, THE NECK IS DIVIDED INTO THREE ZONES: ZONES 1, 2, AND 3. IN PENETRATING TRAUMA, ZONE DESIGNATIONS HAVE ANATOMIC, DIAGNOSTIC, AND MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS. SINCE THE ZONE SYSTEM IS HELPFUL IN GUIDING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, IT IS PREFERABLE TO EMPLOY THE ZONE SYSTEM WHEN DESCRIBING TRAUMATIC INJURIES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF NECK TRAUMA AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.