Diagnosis and treatment of nine cases with carotid artery rupture due to hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal foreign body ingestion

The aim of our study is to present our experience in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with carotid artery rupture (CAR) due to foreign body ingestion. A total of nine admissions with CAR due to foreign body ingestion were recorded in Second Xiangya Hospital between 1969 and 2011. The carotid artery was sutured with muscle flap coverage in six cases, ligated in three cases. We retrospectively compared different surgical procedures of the patients and their clinical outcomes. Results show that CAR was found in all of these nine cases in imaging examinations or surgery. Among these six patients treated by suture of the carotid artery, five patients had a complete recovery without any complications, one patient underwent common carotid artery (CCA) ligation after suture surgery, but finally died of massive hemorrhage due to uncontrollable infection with carotid artery erosion. Among these three patients treated only by CCA ligation, one patient had no complications, one patient had hemiplegia, and one patient died of severe cerebral edema. Hence, timely diagnosis and open surgery are important for the patients of CAR due to foreign body ingestion. Suture of the carotid artery with muscle flap coverage is a better method compared with ligation of the carotid artery in the treatment of CAR.