A successful surgical repair of a gunshot injury to the left common carotid artery without neurological deficiency: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Penetrating neck trauma is serious and has a high fatality rate, especially in individuals who suffer injuries to the common carotid artery. The mortality rates for penetrating neck trauma are estimated to be 3%–6%. Accidents that cause a lot of blood to flow, like being stabbed, shot, or hurt in a car accident, can cause a person to lose a lot of blood quickly and in a short amount of time, which can be fatal if not treated right away. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: we present a 26-year-old young male patient with penetrating neck trauma caused by a gunshot. The gunshot entered the right sternocleidomastoid muscle at the level of the hyoid bone and exited the left sternocleidomastoid muscle on the mid side. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: In a recent report on the management of major vascular injuries to the neck, carotid artery injuries accounted for about 17% of all patients presenting with penetrating neck injuries. In this case, previously published literature adds that carotid artery injury early surgical and primary repair in young patients has a good outcome. CONCLUSION: Considering the high morbidity and mortality associated with penetrating neck injuries, In young patients, they can be successfully managed with early surgical and primary repair with a good outcome.