J Trauma
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Penetrating trauma of the neck has been divided into three anatomic locations. Zone III, the subject of this paper, is defined as the area between the base of the skull and the lower border of the mandible. Management of these injuries remains problematic. ⋯ An air embolism resulting in hemiparesis was the only complication of the angiographic studies. We conclude that angiography is essential in Zone III neck wounds. It facilitates triage decisions and, combined with transcatheter embolization, enables the majority of these injuries to be managed without surgical exploration.
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Trauma to the extrahepatic biliary tract is rare but, if overlooked or improperly managed, may be associated with significant morbidity. The following is our most recent 6-year experience with this unusual injury. Among 949 patients undergoing laparotomy for acute trauma, there were 32 (3%) injuries to the gallbladder and five (0.5%) to the common bile duct. ⋯ An intrapancreatic CBD lesion was managed by sphincteroplasty and stented with a T-tube. The one patient with complete transection underwent choledochoenterostomy. Postoperative complications were common (50%) but none were related to the biliary injury.