Background: Carotid blowout syndrome (CBS) is one of the most feared emergencies in the head and neck surgery and tends to occur in patients with head and neck cancer, wound complications, pharyngocutaneous fistulas, or after radio(chemo)therapy. CBS is always life threatening and associated with a 50% mortality/morbidity rate.
Methods: Between 2007 and 2015, a total of 51 patients who developed CBS caused by the tumour masses or after radio(chemo)therapy were included. All patients underwent a standardised bleeding management.
Results: In 86% of patients, CBS was associated with manifest carcinoma. Fifty three percent of patients were treated by transcervical surgery, in 36% of these cases surgery was supplemented by endovascular approaches. Severe complications such as re-bleeding or cerebral ischemia occurred infrequently. Seven patients died because of the acute bleeding.
Conclusion: CBS associated with head and neck cancer carries poor mid and long-term prognoses. An interdisciplinary standardised treatment path dramatically reduced overall morbidity and mortality.
Keywords: Carotid artery blow out; bleeding; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; outcome; therapy.