title: Management strategy for penetrating oropharyngeal injury.
abstract: Direct force applied to an object held in the mouth may cause either superficial or penetrating injury within the oropharynx. The natural course for a majority of these injuries is spontaneous healing. Penetrating trauma in the parapharyngeal space may cause life-threatening vascular injuries. Violation of the retropharyngeal space may lead to dissecting emphysema or mediastinitis. Knowledge of these infrequent but serious sequelae complicates emergency department management decisions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, Ohio 45401.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D010159:Palate / Q000293:injuries; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000293:injuries; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D014609:Uvula / Q000293:injuries; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*