The neck has several important anatomical structures which include the carotid arteries bilaterally. While the injury to the carotid artery is not a common event, when it does occur, it is not usually an isolated arterial injury secondary to the proximity of other vital structures. Injury to the artery may be due to either penetrating or blunt trauma. When the trauma is penetrating, exsanguination and hematoma formation can quickly compromise the airway. When the carotid artery is injured bluntly, the sudden trauma usually initiates an intimal dissection and/or a hematoma formation. Carotid artery injuries caused by blunt trauma often cause thrombosis with delayed neurologic deficits and are associated with mortality rates up to 40%.
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