I was lucky enough to catch up with LA County Hospital Trauma Surgeon, and all ’round nice guy Kenji Inaba at the recent SWAN Trauma Conference at Liverpool Hospital. Kenji published a great paper last year on the use of CT for investigation of penetrating neck injury. The article (reference below) has an algorithm based on clinical findings, that determines the need for no investigation/intervention, a CT angiogram, or direct transfer to the operating room, and this was the basis for one of Kenji’s many fine talks at SWAN. In the interview we go through the study in detail and I think you’ll agree he delivers some really practical pearls for this often fear-inducing condition. We also talk about the controversial topic of when and where to pull out foreign bodies that are sticking out of people’s necks – sure to make some ED doctors quiver.
Hmmm, which one is the ED doc, and which one is the Surgeon?
