Question for people with medical knowledge

[Velensk]

This is a purely hypothetical question as I am curious about the plausibility of something encountered in a work of fiction.

How plausible is it that a person could receive a slashing wound to the neck that misses all major blood vessels but damages the breathing tube? Also, how plausible would surviving this wound be when for all practical purposes the technology available is primitive, the tools/materials improvised, and although the person doing the tending has a lot of experience in practical first aid is not familiar with said wound?

[Dunno]

Well, the "breathing tube" is located rather in front, on the back you have spine which is very hard (or rather impossible) to avoid. But if you hit someone from the front, it is possible to hit only breathing tube and miss everything else. It is used in tracheotomy. I'd call it more piercing than slashing though.

[tom030890]

It would be unusual (lucky?) to only receive a wound to the trachea, but it is at the front, so if the person avoided all but the tip of the sword it might be the only part damaged. There is likely to be some bleeding (thyroid gland sits over the front, and has many blood vessels, but incising it would not necessarily kill them, and the anatomy varies enough that the gland may be missed altogether.

Apart from bleeding, infection and airway inflammation (possibilities rather than certainties) there is no reason that the would should kill you. You just breathe through the hole in you neck (until it is patched up), instead of you mouth/nose. Talking would require you to seal the hole to enable air to flow through your vocal cords though...

[Velensk]

Thanks for the information.