Reduction of intra-operative blood loss by temporary control of external carotid artery in advanced head and neck malignancies

Objective
The study introduces a simple vascular control procedure to minimize intraoperative blood loss during resection of advanced head and neck malignancies through clamping to the external carotid artery (ECA).
Patients and methods
This prospective study included 20 patients with different operable head and neck cancer randomized to perform vascular clamping of ECA during neck dissection before tumor resection (group A, n = 11) or classical neck dissection and resection of the tumors without vascular control (group B, n = 9).
Results
There was no significant difference between the 2 groups regarding demographic and disease characteristics. Statistically significant decrease of blood loss was observed in the vascular control group. Blood loss in group A was nearly a quarter of that in group B.
Conclusion
Temporary intraoperative clamping of the ECA minimizes blood loss, and consequently, the need for blood transfusion with all its complications. In addition, it ensures more optimum survival of the full-thickness graft used for coverage of the head neck defect left after surgery.