ABSTRACT
Carotid artery injury (CAI) following head and neck trauma is rare but is associated with devastating
complications. Decisions on carotid arterial repair are difficult especially when there is a neurological deficit.
This case report is about a 38-year-old male who presented after penetrating common carotid artery injury.
He was intubated; therefore, his neurological status could not be assessed. He was haemodynamically
unstable. Therefore, a decision was taken to explore the neck immediately. On exploration, the common
carotid artery was found to be contused. The contused segment was excised and repaired with a Polyester
interposition graft. The patient had an uneventful recovery with no neurological deficits.
Keywords: Penetrating Carotid artery injuries, timing of repair, neurological deficits