Evaluation of throat trauma & its methods of management in Babylon province

الملخص EN

Prospective study of patients with direct external throat injuries(upper aerodigastive tract) injuries, received by emergency & surgical department of Hilla general teaching hospital in the last (4) years (from march 2001 to March 2005).

100 case recorded with following criteria of this type of injury as cervical surgical emphysema, dysphonia and/ or stridor , dysphagia , neck pain or tenderness & haemoptysis .

Those patients average age was 35 year .

75% were men .

Mechanisms of injuries were gunshot wounds 47% , motor vehicle accident 33% .

Clinical picture 90% had neck Pain and / or tenderness , 75% had Hoarseness of voice and / or stridor .

Priority of management depend on air way ( stable or unstable ) and type of injury .

Medical treatment control 50% of Patient , mostly those with stable air way .Early surgical intervention to deal with air way obstruction is needed in most of unstable type .

The failure of management mostly due to : 1.

Absence of social education who to deal with this type of injuries at time and place of accident .

2.

Absence of portable X-ray device & theater near emergency room 3.

Shortage in respiratory care unit staff & equipments .

4.

Massive accident