Otolaryngologic clinics of North America
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The management of penetrating wounds of the neck provides several decision-making steps that remain controversial. The two basic concepts of management include the idea that all wounds deep to the platysma should be explored and (the more conservative concept) that selective neck exploration should be based on a battery of tests to identify traumatic injuries. The areas of agreement within these two schools of thought include exploration of wounds with obvious injury, exploration of wounds in which patients cannot be stabilized satisfactorily for further testing, and the idea that all patients with wounds deep to the platysma should be admitted to the hospital. ⋯ Furthermore, Noyes found that the hospital stay for patients with selective observation management not requiring a neck exploration was 2.8 days, compared with 4.2 days for patients with mandatory but negative neck explorations. A summary of diagnostic techniques and their indications in selecting patients with penetrating neck wounds for surgery is presented in Table 5. It has become apparent that both selective and mandatory explorations of neck wounds play important roles in treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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Otolaryngol. Clin. North Am. · Feb 1991
ReviewManagement of associated dental injuries in maxillofacial trauma.
Maxillofacial trauma frequently is accompanied by significant injuries to the teeth and their supporting structures. This review of these dental injuries relates their management to other priorities of the head and neck trauma patient. The controversy over management of the tooth within the line of a mandibular fracture is discussed.