Great article on something we don't see too often in Antrim – all the more reason to refresh your knowledge!
Zone I => sternal notch to cricoid cartilage
- CT angiography, endoscopy, and bronchoscopy are indicated for evaluation.
- Note: suspect hemothorax or pneumothorax in patients presenting with dyspnea or absent breath sounds (20% of patients with penetrating neck trauma have a pneumothorax or hemothorax on further examination).
- Zone II => cricoid cartilage to angle of the mandible
- Violation of the platysma mandates surgical exploration.
- Zone III => angle of the mandible and above
- CT angiography and endoscopy indicated for evaluation.