[Fatal hemorrhage following surgery for head and neck carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the surgical management of fatal hemorrhage following head and neck surgery for cancer.


METHODS
The clinical data of 32 cases of fatal hemorrhage following head and neck surgery from 1976 to 2008 in our department were analyzed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Hemorrhage was caused by carotid blowout in 20 cases. The carotid ligation was performed in 13 cases, only 6 cases got long-term survival. In 12 cases, hemorrhage was caused by tracheo-innominate artery fistula, only 2 cases received surgical management, and no long-term survivors.


CONCLUSIONS
Fatal hemorrhage following head and neck surgery is an uncommon but frequently fatal complication, and the successful management of it depends on early diagnosis and correct treatment.
Ni
Song
S
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China.
Xu
Zhen-gang
ZG
Wang
Xiao-lei
XL
Liu
Shao-yan
SY
Qi
Yong-fa
YF
Tang
Ping-zhang
PZ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008026:Ligation; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult