title: External Carotid Artery Ligation in Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Oral Cavity and Oropharynx: an Oncological Emergency.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the outcomes of emergency external carotid artery ligation in head and neck cancer patients. It is a retrospective observational study of 11 patients with oral cavity and oropharynx cancers who underwent external carotid ligation as an emergency procedure. Prior tracheostomy was done in all the patients as part of the procedure. Parameters studied were the efficacy and safety of the procedure in the form of control of haemorrhage, any postoperative neurological deficit, morbidity and mortality. The study evaluates the efficacy of the intervention purely as an emergency procedure, and oncological outcomes have not been reported. Analysis was done using simple frequencies and proportions. The oropharynx is the most common site of tumour bleeding in head and neck malignancies. Bleeding following external carotid ligation stopped in all the patients immediately without any postoperative mortality or morbidity. No patient had any neurologic deficits postoperatively. There was one case of rebleeding. Emergency external carotid ligation in tumours of the oral cavity and oropharynx is a life-saving and simple procedure with limited morbidity. Prior tracheostomy is recommended in all the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016 India ; Room-9, Research Hostel, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016 India.
authors.forename: Tarun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016 India.
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016 India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ravi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016 India.
authors.forename: Kartikeyan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016 India.
authors.forename: Mahesh H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380016 India.
authors.forename: Kiran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kothari
keywords: ECA ligation; Emergency external carotid ligation; Oncologic emergency