Hypopharyngeal perforation in penetrating cervical trauma occurs rarely. The treatment of hypopharyngeal wounds is controversial. The mainstay in treatment according to the majority of authors is immediate surgical exploration with primary repair of the lesion and drainage or only drainage. Conservative treatment would be indicated only in selected cases. The authors studied 157 penetrating cervical wounds in four years period and found seven (4.4%) cases with hypopharyngeal perforation. There were male patients from 18 to 45 years old. Five injuries (71.4%) were stab wounds and two of them (28.6%) were caused by gunshot. Only one patient had jugular vein associated injury. Six patients (85.7%) were treated surgically, five (71.4%) with primary suture and drainage. The mortality rate was null and morbidity was 28.6%, mean hospital stay was 11.2 days.
Trauma; Pharynx