[Report of 39 traumatic and iatrogenic lesions of the extra-cranial carotid artery (author's transl)].

The authors present 39 carotid lesions from various and sometimes unusual origins: ski accident, cervical irradiation. The lesions have a preferential topography according to etiology: internal carotid for blunt trauma and arteriographic lesions, common carotid for penetrating injuries, common and bifurcation for X-ray lesions. Arteriography and surgical exploration confirm this notion. Macroscopic lesions don't always accord to the classical aspect: thus, only one intimal lesion has been found in blunt trauma. Symptomatology is orientated by etiology: neurological symptoms in blunt trauma and X-ray lesions, vascular symptoms in penetrating injuries. The diagnosis has sometimes been made at a distance from the initial accident and in unusual circumstances, mainly in blunt trauma. The treatment has been a surgical one except for usual countra-indications. The results are favourable on young subjects and above all for particular lesions such as penetrating injuries and X-ray lesions. Lastly, the authors insist on the post-operative evolutivity which is often misunderstood, and on the interest of an angiographic control.