Carotid Artery Management in Head and Neck Surgery

Prevention and management of intraoperative and postoperative bleeding are of a great importance in performing successful head and neck surgery. Since the carotid artery is the major source of cerebral vascular supply, the management of carotid artery diseases including replacement, when needed, necessitates special knowledge and skill as well as experience. Delayed postoperative hemorrhage usually comes from carotid artery due to increasing frequency of radiotherapy treatment of head and neck cancers nowadays. This is the most catastrophic complication of the head and neck surgery. Carotid resection can be planned as part of surgical treatment or salvage. Carotid resection is performed mostly to salvage patients when radiotherapy and chemotherapy are ineffective and less for carotid invasion caused by either direct extension of a malign tumor originating from the nasopharynx and oropharynx or extracapsular invasion of advanced jugular node metastasis. The purpose of this presentation was to enlighten the readers about carotid artery problems and management emphasizing the importance of preoperative evaluation.