Seat-belt-related injuries to the supra-aortic arteries

Five seat-belt-related injuries occurring in four adults are reported. One injury involved the common carotid artery, two the internal carotid and two the subclavian arteries. Three of the four injured persons were asymptomatic and one had delayed-onset symptoms; none suffered stroke. There was no operative mortality or morbidity. Overall, the functional results of arterial reconstruction were good, with satisfactory patency at follow-up averaging 15 months.