Table 6.

Management

Management	Type of operative intervention	GSW (n=58)	SW (n=452)
Operative or endovascular intervention
For PNI		10 (17.2%)	98 (21.7%)
	Endovascular	0 (0%)	7 (7.1%)
	Tracheostomy without exploration	2 (20.0%)	0 (0%)
	Neck exploration	7 (70.0%)	70 (71.4%)
	Thoracoscopy for retained haemothorax	0 (0%)	2 (2.0%)
	Local wound exploration /debridement or incision and drainage	1 (10.0%)	6 (6.1%)
	Sternotomy / thoracotomy as primary exposure	0 (0%)	13 (13.3%)
	Emergency surgery prior to imaging	0 (0%)	28 (28.6%) (3 negative explorations)
For all injury types		17 (29.3%)	119 (26.3%)
Conservative
For PNI		48 (82.8%) (3 selected for palliative care)	354 (78.3%) (2 exsanguinated prior to reaching theatre)
For all injury types		41 (70.7%)	333 (73.7%)

GSW = gunshot wound; SW = stab wound; PNI = penetrating neck injury