Oral maxillofacial fractures seen at a Ugandan tertiary hospital: a six-month prospective study

Epidemiology of Oral and Maxillofacial Traumatic Injuries Among the Patients Reporting to the Dental Institute of Western Maharashtra Region, India

Objective

To analyze the distribution, etiology, and patterns of oral and maxillofacial trauma among the subjects reporting to a dental institute in the Western Maharashtra region of India.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted by manually collecting data from the medical records of subjects who reported to the dental institute with a history of trauma from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2022. All the injured subjects with complete clinical and radiographical records of maxillofacial injuries were included. The demographic data, etiology & site of trauma, and associated injuries were analyzed. Data were tabulated into four age groups (< 20 years, 21-40 years, 41-60 years, and > 60 years). Five etiological factors, i.e. road traffic accidents (RTA), stumble & falls, violence, animal attack, and strike by an object, were further evaluated based on age and gender. Maxillofacial injuries were classified into seven types: maxillary fractures (subcategorized), mandibular fractures (subcategorized), zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures, nasal, frontal, orbital, and naso-orbito-ethmoidal fractures. Data were tabulated and analyzed.

Results

A total of 437 subjects were included, consisting of 84.2% males and 15.8% females, with the highest incidence of trauma between 21-40 years. Road traffic accident was the main reason for maxillofacial injuries (50.3%), followed by falls (26.5%), and violence (19.9%). ZMC fractures accounted for 55.4% (242 fractures), followed by mandibular fractures (42.3%).

Conclusion

RTA is the main factor responsible for maxillofacial injuries in this part of Maharashtra among subjects of both genders. Education and motivation regarding road safety measures are the two factors that need to be focused on to reduce the incidence of maxillofacial injuries.

Epidemiology of maxillofacial injury among adults in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Injuries remain one of the leading causes of death globally. These disproportionately affect young adults and are particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Maxillofacial injuries (MI) pose significant challenges to public health systems. However, much remains unknown regarding the epidemiology and extent of the financial burden in resource-limited areas, such as SSA, further necessitating more research and support. This scoping review aims to investigate the mechanism, distribution, and financial impact of MI in adults aged ≥ 18 years in SSA.

MAIN BODY

The scoping review was guided by the methodological frameworks of Arksey and O'Malley and Levac. An electronic literature search for English-published articles on maxillofacial injuries in adults ≥ 18 years was conducted in Scopus, Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, CINAHL, Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, and grey literature. The PRISMA chart was used to document database searches and screening outcomes while reporting was guided by PRISMA-ScR. The data extraction process revolved around the predefined study outcomes, which encompassed the study characteristics and epidemiological parameters. The review used a narrative approach to report findings and evaluate publication quality using the STROBE checklist. The database search yielded 8246 studies, of which 30 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 7317 participants were included, 79.3% of whom were males. The peak age range for incidence was between 18 and 40 years. Road traffic collision (RTC) was the leading cause of MI, 59% of which resulted from motorcycle collisions. Assault/interpersonal violence ranked as the second leading cause of MI. The mandible was MI's most frequently affected hard tissue, followed by the midface. Factors such as alcohol/illicit drug use, poor knowledge of traffic regulations, and non-observance of these regulations were associated with MI. In our study, the cost range for mandibular fractures was $200-$468.6, borne by victims and their families.

CONCLUSIONS

Maxillofacial injuries are predominantly caused by road traffic collisions and assaults in SSA. The findings can provide valuable insights into policy decisions and prevention strategies aimed at reducing injury burden. Further research is warranted to explore the psychological impact of MI, including PTSD, for tailored support and intervention. Scoping Review Registration The protocol has been registered on the Open Science Framework. Registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/BWVDK .

A Retrospective Study of Maxillofacial Fractures at a Tertiary Care Centre in North India: A Review of 1674 Cases

Objective

To examine the pattern of maxillofacial fractures in patients treated at the SMS Hospital in Jaipur, India, over a two-year period.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted from October 2019 to September 2021, which recorded various data of patients with maxillofacial fractures, including age, sex, site distribution, cause of injury, type of facial bone fractures, soft tissue injuries, dentoalveolar trauma, and type of treatment. The days spent in the hospital before and after surgery were also recorded.

Results

The study included 1674 patients, with a male-to-female ratio of 4.07:1 and males being the most affected at 80.3%. The most common cause of injury was road traffic accidents (53.5%), followed by falls (18.6%) and assaults (16.1%). Mandibular fractures accounted for 38% of all fractures, with the parasymphysis being the most common site for fractures. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and intermaxillary fixation (IMF) were the most common treatment options for mandibular fractures.

Conclusion

The study highlights the need for strict enforcement of traffic rules and road safety laws, along with education and preventive measures to reduce the incidence of maxillofacial trauma. The pattern of maxillofacial injuries can provide useful information for designing programs towards the prevention and management of maxillofacial trauma.

Patterns and Trends of Facial Fractures at a Tertiary Care Trauma Center in India - A 13 years Retrospective Study

Study Design

Retrospective study.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze the prevalence, pattern, diagnosis, and treatment of the facial fractures falling under ambit of facial plastic surgery in a multi-specialty hospital at India from the year 2006-2019.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed 1508 patients, having orbital fractures (from 2006 to 2019) for demographic data, cause of trauma, type of fracture, and the treatment given. The data were compiled in excel and analyzed by using SPSS version 21.0.

Results

Out of these 1508 patient (1127 (74.73%)-males and 381 (25.27%)-females), the etiology of injuries was Road traffic accident (RTA) (49.20%), assault (26.52%), and sports injuries (11.47%). The most common fracture pattern was Isolated Orbit and/or Orbital Floor fracture in 451 patients (32.08%), followed by Mid-facial fractures (21.93%). Also, 105 patients (6.96%) experienced ocular/retinal trauma along with other fractures.

Conclusions

Orbit, peri-ocular, and mid-face trauma comprised a large position of this study. It requires a great deal of expertise to treat such complex trauma, which is not covered in one specialty alone. Hence, a holistic approach of craniofacial fracture management, rather than limiting these skills to water-tight craniofacial compartments becomes necessary. The study highlights the critical need of multidisciplinary approach for predictable and successful management of such complex cases.

Isolated favorable compound mandibular body fractures: A retrospective review of two cohorts of patients based on the timing of treatment

BACKGROUND/AIM

Treatment delays in the management of mandible fractures are often unavoidable and, as a result, the timing of treatment of mandibular fractures has remained a contentious issue in clinical practice as the optimal treatment delay for minimizing complications remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the rate and types of complications between two cohorts of patients designated as early and late treatment groups and estimate an optimal time threshold for treatment delay after closed reduction and maxillomandibular fixation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Demographic and clinical data were collected retrospectively about patients who were treated for isolated, unilateral, favorable, and compound mandibular body fractures between 1999 and 2019 to answer the question of whether treatment delay is an independent variable impacting post-operative mandible body fracture complications. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy subjects were evaluated (n = 87 in the control/early group and n = 83 in the study/late group). The mean time lapses from injury to treatment were: early (5.8 ± 0.4 days) and late (10.3 ± 0.7 days). The overall complication rate was 14.1%. However, the complication rates of the early and late groups were 13.8% and 14.5%, respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.89).

CONCLUSIONS

There was no difference between early and late treatment groups. Treatment delay was not an independent variable impacting post-operative mandible body fracture complications if treatment is done between 3 and 12 days after the injury.

Etiology, Epidemiology, and Treatment Type of Maxillofacial Traumas in Razavi Khorasan Province with Certain Insurance between 2016 and 2021

Background

Trauma is a leading cause of death and disability in developing countries, with maxillofacial fractures being a significant part of such cases. This study focuses on maxillofacial traumas among insured patients in Razavi Khorasan province (2016-2021), exploring the impact of gender, age, and trauma causes on injury prevalence and treatment approaches.

Methods

This retrospective cross-sectional study utilized the records of the patients who were treated for maxillofacial fractures in Mashhad Shahid Kamyab Hospital or a Private Trauma Center, from 2016 to 2021. Demographic characteristics of the patients (age and gender), educational backgrounds of surgeons, accident causes, year and location of the fractures, and reasons for referrals were recorded. The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 20, and the significance level was set at 0.05.

Results

We examined the records of 60 patients (44 males, 16 females). Males (73.4%) exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of maxillofacial traumas compared to females (26%) (P Value < 0.05). Falling was identified as the most common cause of fractures (51.7%), followed by impacts from hard objects and motor vehicle accidents (MVA) (P Value = 0.63). Mandible fractures were observed in 48% of patients, followed by zygomaticomaxillary and panfacial fractures, subsequently (P Value < 0.05).

Conclusion

The study findings highlight the impact of age, gender, and trauma causes on maxillofacial fractures and treatments among patients with certain insurance. Understanding the origins and patterns of these fractures offers crucial insights for shaping effective health policies, providing valuable guidance for addressing such injuries in this population.

Maxillofacial trauma in the gulf countries: a systematic review

PURPOSE

The objective of this review was to determine the prevalence, major causative factors and the most common sites of Maxillofacial Trauma in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries.

METHODS

All articles that were published in the English language in the databases such as Google Scholar, EBSCO, PubMed, NCBI, Medline, COCHRANE, ELSEVIER and SCOPUS were reviewed for MFT from GCC during the last 23 years.

RESULTS

A total of 19,151 patients (16,567 males and 2584 females) (86-14%) with an age range between 0 and 97 years were included in the study. In all of the Gulf countries males outnumber females in terms of maxillofacial injuries with a ratio of 6.4:1. The mandible was the most common site of trauma followed by the maxilla. Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) was the most common cause of injury in the GCC followed by falls.

CONCLUSION

Maxillofacial injuries are highly prevalent, distributed among the Gulf countries, and is mainly caused by RTAs especially among males who are highly prone to MFT in the gulf. The reasons are due to lack of road safety culture and weak enactment of traffic legislation, other possible factors include intrinsic car safety features, high speed driving and the amount/use of highways in these societies.

Epidemiological Analysis of Zygomatic Bone Fractures in North-Western Romanian Population: A 10-Year Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND/AIM

Midface fractures represent a challenge for medical practitioners due to the severe esthetic and functional consequences. This study aimed to determine the causes and to provide a demographic analysis of zygomatic bone fractures in our geographical area, with a view to implementing the necessary prevention methods, training the medical staff for a certain type of patients and decreasing the required costs.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective statistical epidemiological analysis of 242 patients with zygomatic bone fractures over a 10-year period was performed.

RESULTS

The most affected age group was 20-29 years (27.27%). The most affected were men (n=211, 87.19%) from urban areas (n=140, 57.85%), and without education (n=122, 50.41%). The most frequent cause was interpersonal violence (54.04%), followed by falls (17.36%) and road traffic accidents (16.53%).

CONCLUSIONS

Interpersonal violence as a cause of zygomatic bone fractures is currently reaching epidemic proportions. Taking legal measures to prevent aggression is a public health emergency that would considerably decrease the incidence of these fractures in our population.

Substance Use and Maxillofacial Trauma: A Comprehensive Patient Profile

PURPOSE

Maxillofacial trauma confers an increased risk of long-term clinical sequelae with a substantial economic burden on the health care system. Substance use has long been correlated with an increased risk of trauma, yet to date, a comprehensive profile of substance users incurring facial fractures has not been established. We aimed to establish patterns and trends of substance use and specific substances in the setting of maxillofacial trauma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective chart review was conducted at our institution examining patients with maxillofacial fractures from 2016 to 2017. Information on age, gender, race, urine drug screen status, setting of presentation, mechanism of injury, trauma history, and injury severity was collected and examined for associations with particular substances.

RESULTS

We included 388 patients for analysis. Patients with positive urine drug screen results were significantly more likely to be men, present in an urban setting, incur poly-facial trauma, and have a history of facial trauma. In addition, alcohol use correlated significantly with injury severity in the context of polytrauma. Living in an urban setting and using phencyclidine were both significantly associated with a history of maxillofacial trauma.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with comorbid maxillofacial trauma and substance use exhibit particular patterns in presentation and history. Establishing a profile for these patients allows for the development of prevention and rehabilitation programs.

Analysis of the pattern of maxillofacial injuries in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

Objectives

Maxillofacial trauma (MFT) is a serious health problem and in Saudi Arabia is mainly caused by road traffic accidents (RTAs). MFT commonly associated with injuries to the face, head, and jaws and may cause soft tissue lacerations and bruises. MFT can also cause fatal blood loss and airway obstruction. The objective of this review was to determine the prevalence of MFT, identify the major causative factors in males and females in the main cities of Saudi Arabia.

Materials and methods

We performed literature searches of all published studies describing MFT from KSA during the last 20 years.

Results

In Saudi Arabia, males are more prone to MFT than females, although the male: female ratio of MFT varies between different cities. Specifically, Aseer has the highest male: female ratio (10:1), followed by AlHofuf (8.3:1) while AlQurayyat had the least gender ratios of MFT (2:1). Most cases of MFT are associated with RTAs, which accounted for (63%-90.3%) in Medina, (89.1%) in Aseer, (86.1% -87.1%) in Riyadh, (67%-73.1%) in Jeddah, (71%) in Khamis Mushait, (64.2%) in Makkah and (63.3%) in Al-Hofuf. The least percentage of RTA resulting into MFT was recorded in AlQurayyat (24%).

Conclusion

Maxillofacial trauma is a serious health problem in Saudi Arabia. RTAs remain the major cause of maxillofacial injuries especially among males, thus strict implementation of traffic rules is a must to minimize maxillofacial injuries and its physical and psychological impact.

Cone-beam computed tomography imaging of dentoalveolar and mandibular fractures

Three-dimensional imaging methods have an important role in the diagnosis of dentomaxillofacial fractures that can not be seen on the plain films. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is one of the three-dimensional imaging methods and has facilitated dental professionals' access to cross-sectional imaging. CBCT units allow different technical parameters and the data acquired by CBCT, can be reformatted. Osseous structures are correctly examined with this technique but the technique is not useful for the examination of soft tissues. Therefore, the purpose of its use should be based on the expected diagnostic gain. The aim of this review is to present the use of CBCT with different multi-planar reformatted sections and three-dimensional reconstructions of dentoalveolar and mandibular fractures.

Patterns of traumatic brain injury and six-month neuropsychological outcomes in Uganda

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injuries in Uganda are on the increase, however little is known about the neuropsychological outcomes in survivors. This study characterized patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the associated six-month neuropsychological outcomes in a Ugandan tertiary hospital.

METHODS

Patients admitted at Mulago Hospital with head injury from November 2015 to April 2016 were prospectively enrolled during admission and followed up at six months after discharge to assess cognition, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), depression symptoms and physical disability. The outcomes were compared to a non-head-injury group recruited from among the caretakers, siblings and neighbours of the patients with age and sex entered as covariates.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-one patients and 145 non-head injury participants were enrolled. The age range for the whole sample was 1 to 69 years with the non-head injury group being older (mean age (SD) 33.34 (13.35) vs 29.34 (14.13) years of age, p = 0.01). Overall, motorcycle crashes (36/171, 38.6%) and being hit by an object (58/171, 33.9%) were the leading causes of TBI. Head injury from falls occurred more frequently in children < 18 years (13.8% vs 2.8%, p = 0.03). In adults 18 years and older, patients had higher rates of neurocognitive impairment (28.4% vs 6.6%, p < 0.0001), PTSS (43.9% vs 7.9%, p < 0.0001), depression symptoms (55.4% vs 10%, p < 0.0001) and physical disability (7.2% vs 0%, p = 0.002). Lower Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) on admission was associated with neurocognitive impairment (11.6 vs 13.1, p = 0.04) and physical disability (10 vs 12.9, p = 0.01) six months later.

CONCLUSION

This first such study in the East-African region shows that depth of coma on admission in TBI is associated with neurocognitive impairment and physical disability.

Prevalence of mandibular fracture in patients visiting a tertiary dental care hospital in North India

Background:

Injuries of the maxillofacial complex represent one of the most important health problems worldwide. At present, in developing India, due to poor traffic sense, maxillofacial trauma and fractures are most epidemiologic diseases. Mandible is the largest and strongest facial bone and it is the second most commonly fractured bone. Mandibular fractures can involve only one site or can often involve multiple anatomic sites simultaneously.

Aims:

The present study is aimed to know the age- and sex-related prevalence of parasymphyseal fracture, fracture of angle, condylar fracture, symphyseal fracture, and coronoid fracture of mandible in North Indian population. It also evaluates the correlation of prevalence of parasymphyseal fracture, angle of mandible, condylar fracture of mandible, symphyseal fracture of mandible, and coronoid fracture of mandible.

Materials and Methods:

All patients fulfilling the selection criteria and having mandible fracture were selected for the study. The data about mandibular fracture was collected by means of a structured questionnaire including age, sex, and anatomic site of fracture. Qualitative variables were compared using Chi-square test/Fisher's exact test as appropriate.

Results:

The study population consists of 1015 individuals aged between 7 and 68 years with the mean age of 33.49 ± 11.79 years. The most common anatomic site for mandibular fracture was parasymphyseal region (40.3%) followed by angle (28.8%), condyle (27.6%), and symphysis (12.5%) of mandible. The coronoid process of mandible (44, 4.3%) was least involved in mandibular fracture. Males (30.8%) are more predilected for condylar fracture than females (15.7%). The mandibular symphyseal fracture is more common in male (14.9%) than female (3.7%).

Conclusion:

Mandibular fractures occur in people of all ages and races, in a wide range of social settings. Their causes often reflect shifts in trauma patterns over time. The present assessments of mandibular fracture will be valuable to government agencies and health-care professionals involved in planning future programs of prevention and treatment.

MAXILLOFACIAL TRAUMA, ETIOLOGY AND PROFILE OF PATIENTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Objective:

To describe the profile of patients with facial trauma admitted in a hospital located in a metropolitan area of Northeast Brazil.

Methods:

A cross-sectional and exploratory study was performed. A total of 244 cases were in agreement with the eligibility criteria. The variables include the sociodemographic characteristics of patients, etiology, type of trauma, treatment modalities, length of stay in a hospital and quarter of care. Descriptive statistics and Cluster Analysis were performed.

Results:

The average age of patients was 31.16 years (SD = 15.17 years) and average hospitalization was 6.32 days (SD = 7.75 days). It was verified the automatic formation of four clusters with different profiles of patients. The variables which most contributed to the external differentiation between clusters were: length of stay in a hospital (p <0.001), etiology (p <0.001), type of facial trauma (p <0.001), presence of associated trauma (p <0.001), treatment modalities (p <0.001) and quarter of care (p <0.001).

Conclusion:

The most of patients were men, victims of traffic accidents, which suffered fracture of zygomatic complex and underwent surgery. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Study.

Maxillofacial prostheses challenges in resource constrained regions

BACKGROUND

This study reviewed the current state of maxillofacial rehabilitation in resource-limited nations.

METHOD

A rigorous literature review was undertaken using several technical and clinical databases using a variety of key words pertinent to maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation and resource-limited areas. In addition, interviews were conducted with researchers, clinicians and prosthetists that had direct experience of volunteering or working in resource-limited countries.

RESULTS

Results from the review and interviews suggest rehabilitating patients in resource-limited countries remains challenging and efforts to improve the situation requires a multifactorial approach.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, public health awareness programmes to reduce the causation of injuries and bespoke maxillofacial prosthetics training programmes to suit these countries, as opposed to attempting to replicate Western training programmes. It is also possible that usage of locally sourced and cheaper materials and the use of low-cost technologies could greatly improve maxillofacial rehabilitation efforts in these localities. Implications for Rehabilitation More information and support needs to be provided to maxillofacial defect/injuries patients and to their families or guardians in a culturally sensitive manner by governments. The health needs, economic and psychological needs of the patients need to be taken into account during the rehabilitation process by clinicians and healthcare organizations. The possibility of developing training programs to suit these resource limited countries and not necessarily follow conventional fabrication methods must be looked into further by educational entities.

Orofacial trauma in rural India: A clinical study

PURPOSE

Orofacial trauma is becoming a leading medical problem worldwide. Most of the studies pertaining to orofacial trauma have been done in urban areas but very little scientific literature is available for rural areas.

METHODS

A prospective medical institute-based study of orofacial injury patients was carried out from May 2013 to April 2016 (36 Months). Data regarding incidence, age and sex distribution, causes, types and site of injury, treatment modalities and trauma associated complications were collected and analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 784 patients were studied. Males outnumbered females by a ratio of 2.9:1. Age range was 9 months-75 years with the peak incidence in the age-group of 18-34 years. Most injuries were caused by road-side accidents (72.7%), followed by assault and falls in 11.6% and 8% respectively. Soft tissue injuries and mandibular fractures were the most common type of injuries. Head/neck (50.29%) and limb injuries (27.2%) were the most prevalent associated injuries. Surgical debridement and soft tissue suturing was the most common emergency procedure. Closed reduction was performed in 61% of patients and open reduction and internal fixation in 30% of cases and 9% were managed conservatively. Complications occurred in 6.88% of patients, mainly due to infection and malocclusion. The mean duration of hospital stay was (10.12 ± 6.24) days.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the importance of department of dental surgery along with other disciplinaries in the management of orofacial injuries. Road-side accident remains the major etiological factor of orofacial injuries in our setting.

Systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the proportion of maxillofacial trauma resulting from different etiologies among children and adolescents

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine via systematic review and meta-analysis the proportion of maxillofacial trauma resulting from different etiologies among children and adolescents.

METHODS

A systematic review of articles published from 2006 to 2015 (10 years) in English language was performed. The following databases were used: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Observational studies reporting the number of children and/or adolescents who suffered maxillofacial trauma resulting from different etiologies were included. Studies were selected by two independent reviewers (Kappa = 0.737). A proportion meta-analysis using random-effect models was performed to estimate the pooled prevalence and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) using Der-Simonian and Laird weights. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed using the I ² statistics.

RESULTS

A total of 27 studies remained after qualitative analysis including 402,339 patients. The male/female ratio ranged from 1.5:1 to 3.5:1. Road traffic accidents corresponded to the main etiology agent of maxillofacial trauma (34%; 95% CI, 25-44), followed by falls (31%; 95% CI, 25-37), violence (11%; 95% CI, 4-19), sports (4%; 95% CI, 3-5), and others (5%; 95% CI, 2-8). Heterogeneity among studies was high, even stratifying by world region. The adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for observational studies showed an intermediate score for most of the included studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that road traffic accidents represent the main cause of maxillofacial trauma among children and adolescents. However, results should be interpreted with caution due to the high heterogeneity.

Strategies for Oral Health Research in Africa and the Middle Eastern Region

The highest burden of diseases worldwide is in low- and middle-income countries, but due to lack of capacity and inadequate infrastructure, research output from these countries is unable to address existing and emerging challenges in health care. Oral health research has particularly been hampered by low prioritization, resulting in insufficient development of this sector. There is an urgent need for research correlating oral health to upstream social and environmental determinants and promoting the common risk factor approach for prevention of noncommunicable diseases. Population-wide preventive measures for oral health care are more effective than purely curative approaches, especially for vulnerable groups who have limited access to information and appropriate health care. This article identifies priorities and proposes strategies for researchers, stakeholders, and policy makers for the initiation and sustenance of appropriate oral health care research. The proposed interventions are intended to promote collaboration, capacity building, and health advocacy. Local ownership in multinational research projects in low- and middle-income countries, complemented by skills transfer from high-income countries, is encouraged to ensure that regional health needs are addressed. Emphasis is placed on a shift toward translational research that has a direct impact on oral health care systems.

Otorhinolaryngological manifestations in head trauma: A prospective study of the epidemiology, clinical presentations, management, and outcomes

Background

Otorhinolaryngological injuries following head trauma may be missed, overlooked, or forgotten in the acute phase resulting in worsened management outcomes. This study aims to report the epidemiology, clinical presentations, management, and outcomes of otorhinolaryngological injuries in head trauma with a view to creating awareness for early recognition and prompt treatment.

Patients and Methods

Head injured patients consecutively presenting over a 5-year period were prospectively studied for age, gender, otorhinolaryngological presentations, interventions, and outcome of interventions. Data obtained were statistically analyzed.

Results

There were 91 (1.3%) otorhinolaryngological presentations among 7109 head injured patients. Mean age of 34 years, standard deviation = ±15.6 with a male:female ratio of 2.4:1. Severe head injury (Glasgow coma scale <9) occurred in 46 (50.5%) patients. Patients aged 30-39 years were mostly affected (n = 30; 32.9%). Most injuries were from motor vehicular accidents (n = 61; 67%) and assaults (n = 23; 25.3%). The most common otorhinolaryngological presentations were cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea (n = 26; 28.6%) and CSF otorrhea (n = 25; 27.5%). Conservative management was achieved in 59.3% of patients. Mean time of hospital presentation was 13.8 h. There was no statistical correlation between outcomes and each of etiology and time of presentation (P values 0.18 and 0.9, respectively). Seventy-five (82.4%) were discharged without neurological deficits. A case fatality rate of 6.6% was recorded.

Conclusion

Frontal skull base and temporal bone fractures with CSF rhinorrhea and otorrhea are the most common injuries occurring mostly in young active males with favorable outcomes following conservative management.

Maxillofacial injuries among trauma patients undergoing head computerized tomography; A Ugandan experience

Aim:

The aim of this study was to investigate epidemiological features of maxillofacial fractures within trauma patients who had head and neck computed tomography (CT) scan at the Mulago National referral hospital.

Methods:

CT scan records of trauma patients who had head scans at the Department of Radiology over 1-year period were accessed. Data collected included sociodemographic factors, type and etiology of injury, and concomitant maxillofacial injuries.

Results:

A total of 1330 trauma patients underwent head and neck CT scan in the 1-year study period. Out of these, 130 were excluded due to incomplete or unclear records and no evidence of injury. Of the remaining 1200, 32% (387) had maxillofacial fractures. The median age of the patients with maxillofacial fractures was 28 (range = 18–80) years and 18–27 age group was most common at 47.5%. Road traffic accidents constituted 49.1% of fractures. The single most affected isolated bone was the frontal bone (23%). The number of maxillofacial bones fractured was predicted by age group (df = 3 F = 5.358, P = 0.001), association with other fractures (df = 1 F = 5.317, P = 0.03).

Conclusions:

Good matched case–control prospective studies are needed to enable us tease out the finer difference in the circumstances and pattern of injury if we are to design appropriate preventive measures.

Meta Analysis of Etiology and its Clinical and Radiological Correlation in Cases of Craniomaxillofacial Trauma

AIM

The present study was planned to investigate the etiology of injuries and to analyze correlation between clinical and radiological findings in cases of craniomaxillofacial trauma.

STUDY DESIGN

An 18 months cross-sectional study was done and 325 patients with maxillofacial fractures were analyzed from January 2013 to June 2014 who reported to the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Data was recorded in a preformed case sheet which included: patient's demographic data, cause of injury, type of injury, treatment plan.

RESULTS

Out of the 325 patients, 74.4 % were males with a male: female ratio of 2.91:1. The 21-30 year age group was found to be maximum. Road traffic accidents accounted for 71.3 %, followed by fall from height (19 %) and assault (9.5 %). Most commonly involved vehicles were two wheelers followed by public transport. Mandibular fractures (65 %) were most prevalent, followed by zygomaticomaxillary complex (44.27 %), parietal bone (48 %) and orbital fractures (21.3 %). Thirty-seven fractures (7.14 %) were missed clinically which were confirmed later by radiographic technique. Maximum were in cranium region (57 %) followed by mandible (27 %), mid face region (16.21 %). Thirty-three fractures (6.37 %) were overestimated or suspected clinically which could not be confirmed by radiographic technique. Maximum were in mandible (48.5 %) followed by mid face (36.33 %) and cranium (15.15 %).

CONCLUSION

The idea behind this article is to analyze the various trends and affecting factors and correlation between clinical and radiological findings. A better understanding of the above said would help in future treatment planning and management of facial injuries.

An assessment of etiological spectrum and injury characteristics among maxillofacial trauma patients of Government dental college and Research Institute, Bangalore

BACKGROUND

Maxillofacial injuries pose a therapeutic challenge to trauma, maxillofacial and plastic surgeons practicing in developing countries. This was a retrospective study carried out to determine the incidence, etiology, injury characteristics of maxillofacial injuries reported at our centre.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The data for this study were obtained from the medical records of 689 cases reported to our centre during the period from 2006-2009. Records of patients who were either treated in the emergency room as outpatients or the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as inpatients were analyzed and were subjected to statistical analysis using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) for Windows version 17.0. Data was summarized in form of proportions and frequency tables for categorical variables and was subjected to Chi-Square test.

RESULTS

Out of 689 patients, 75.9% were male and 24.1% were female. 42.5% of the patients were in the age group of 21 to 30 years. Road traffic accidents accounted for the majority (74.3%) of cases of maxillofacial trauma. Mandible was seen as the most commonly fractured bone (50.3%) and 53.8% head and neck injuries were most common among the associated injuries.

CONCLUSION

Road traffic accidents were clearly the most prevalent etiological factor for maxillofacial trauma. Measures on prevention of road traffic crashes should be strongly emphasized in order to reduce the occurrence of these injuries.

A Diagnosis of Maxillary Sinus Fracture with Cone-Beam CT: Case Report and Literature Review

The purpose of this article is to present the case of maxillofacial trauma patient with maxillary sinus fracture diagnosed with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to explore the applications of this technique in evaluating the maxillofacial region. A 23-year-old male patient attempted to our clinic who had an injury at midface with complaints of swelling, numbness. The patient was examined before in emergency center but any diagnosis was made about the maxillofacial trauma. The patient re-examined clinically and radiographically. A fracture on the frontal wall of maxillary sinus is determined with the aid of CBCT. The patient consulted with the department of maxillofacial surgery and it is decided that any surgical treatment was not necessary. The emerging technique CBCT would not be the primary choice of imaging maxillofacial trauma. Nevertheless, when advantages considered this imaging procedure could be the modality of choice according to the case.

Burden of maxillofacial trauma at level 1 trauma center

There is an upward trend in facial injuries following changes in population pattern, increasing industrialization and urbanization, hence maxillofacial trauma is becoming a burden and a leading medical problem in emergency rooms worldwide. This study was performed to evaluate the pattern of maxillofacial fractures, associated injuries, and treatment used at Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Center (JPNATC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India, between January 2007 and June 2010. The study provides basis for establishment of trauma as major etiology of maxillofacial injuries and planning for preventive strategies. A retrospective study of patients seen and treated at JPNATC, AIIMS, New Delhi, between January 2007 and June 2010 was performed. Data extracted from patient records included etiology, age, sex, types and sites of fractures, treatment modality, and concomitant injuries. There were 795 fractures of the maxillofacial skeleton and 86 concomitant injuries from 542 patients. Road traffic accident (RTA) (56.8%) was the most common etiologic factor, followed by falls (22.3%) and fights (18.5%). The age range was from 3 to 75 years (mean, 34.7 years) with a peak incidence in the third decade with a male-to-female ratio of 3.7:1. The most common location of maxillofacial fractures was the mandible 615 (77%) and middle third 180 (23%). With regard to mandibular fractures, the body (29.6%) was the most common site, followed by the angle (24.4%), ramus (19.5%), dentoalveolar (14.6%), symphysis (11.0%), condyle (0.8%) while in the middle third, the nasal bone (36.7%) was the most common, followed by zygomatic bone (27.8), Lefort II (14.4), Lefort I (7.8%), dentoalveolar (10.0%), and Lefort III (3.3%). Majority of the patients were treated by open reduction and internal fixation (70.6). Concomitant injuries were 84 (10.8%) with orthopedic injuries accounting for the majority (63.9%). Head injury was associated in 16.3% of cases. RTA was the major etiologic factor of maxillofacial injuries in our setting and the young adult males were the main victims. Henceforth, establishment of regionalized, efficient, and focused trauma centers in various parts of the country particularly for acute trauma should be emphasized. Also, the laws regarding the precautions such as seat belts, speed limits, and traffic rules must be observed strictly to reduce the incidence of RTA.

Associated injuries in patients with maxillofacial trauma at the hospital são vicente de paulo, passo fundo, Brazil

Objectives

This study aimed to identify the occurrence, type and severity of body injuries associated in patients with facial trauma, referred to the Hospital São Vicente de Paulo (HSVP) in the city of Passo Fundo - RS, Brazil.

Material and Methods

The study analyzed medical records of 1385 patients who were treated in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at HSVP during the period from 1991 to 2010.

Results

According to the results of this study we observed that 35% of cases of facial fractures were associated with a body injury. It was recorded a higher incidence of facial fractures in the male population (82.6%), aged between 20 and 39 years. The main etiologic factors for this association were car accidents, falls and assaults. Most fractures were recorded in the mandible and the main body injury found was the abrasion associated in some region of the body, however, when considering fractures of the face middle third the main body injury was more associated with cranioencephalic trauma.

Conclusions

Concomitant injuries in areas other than the face should be expected first and foremost after high-speed trauma mechanisms and in association with severe facial fractures. The results underscore the importance of multiprofessional collaboration in diagnosis and sequencing of treatment who have sustained facial fractures.

Patterns of maxillofacial fractures in goa

BACKGROUND

The maxillofacial skeleton is commonly fractured due to its prominent position. The pattern of maxillofacial fractures varies from one country to another. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the patterns of maxillofacial injuries in the state of Goa and compare the results with similar studies in India and rest of the world.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The data were collected from the records of the patients who reported to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Goa Dental College and Hospital between 2005 and 2010. The site of fracture, age of patient, etiology of trauma, daily and monthly variation of the fractures was analysed.

RESULTS

Records of 2,731 patients sustaining maxillofacial injury were examined. The most commonly fractured facial bone was the mandible followed by zygomaticomaxillary complex. Most fractures occurred in the third and fourth decade of life with male and female ratio of 6:1. Main etiology was road traffic accidents.

CONCLUSION

Despite strict traffic legislation, road traffic accidents are the main cause of maxillofacial injuries.

Study of the pattern of maxillofacial fractures seen at a tertiary care hospital in north India

AIM

The present study was planned to investigate the etiology of maxillofacial injuries and to analyze the pattern of maxillofacial factures as well as the various factors influencing their distribution.

STUDY DESIGN

A one year cross-sectional study was done and 1,108 patients with maxillofacial fractures were analyzed consecutively from April 2010 to March 2011 who reported to the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the Centre for Dental Education & Research and Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi. A performa was designed to collect the data that included age and sex distribution, etiology, influence of alcohol, type of fractures, use of restraints devices, associated injuries and treatment delivered.

RESULTS

Out of 1,108 patients, 89.62 % were males with a male:female ratio of 8.63:1. The 21-30 year age group was found to be maximum (39.98 %). Road traffic accidents accounted for 49.01 %, followed by assault (22.38 %) and fall from height (21.66 %). Two wheelers were the most commonly involved vehicle. Out of 437 road traffic accident patients (excluding pedestrian, n = 106), only 52.40 % were found to be using restraints devices at the time of accident. Totally 25.45 % patients were under the influence of alcohol at the time of injury. According to anatomical distribution of fractures, mandibular fractures (33.57 %) were most prevalent, followed by maxilla (31.13 %), nasal (28.33 %) and zygoma (24.36 %). Head injuries (18.32 %) were found to be the most common associated injuries followed by lower limb fractures.

CONCLUSION

The motive behind executing this article is to analyze the various trends of facial fractures and all those factors that affect their distribution. A perfect understanding of pattern of maxillofacial fracture will assist the executors of health care in the treatment planning and management of facial injuries. Knowledge gained from the present study would influence in assessing the effectiveness of existing preventive measures and elaboration of future preventive measures and conducting new research.

Analysis of the pattern of maxillofacial fractures in north western of Iran: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Maxillofacial fractures can lead to substantial long-term functional, esthetic and psychological complications.

AIM

The aim of this study is to evaluate these injuries in a Turkish Iranian population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of 170 patients with 210 maxillofacial fractures admitted to the emergency department of a central referral emergency hospital in the area over a 5 year period is presented. Patients' data included demographic information, etiology, site and associated injuries and complications.

RESULTS

Road traffic accident was the commonest cause (40%) and the age group of 21-30 comprised the biggest group (30%). Mandibular fractures outnumbered midface fractures (150 vs. 60). Ramus (21.5%) and zygoma (26.5%) were the commonest fracture regions respectively in mandible and midface. Male: female ratio was 3.8:1 Almost half of patients (46%) had sustained associated injuries most of which was soft tissue laceration of the face (17.5%). 22 patient (13%) had associated complication and the hemorrhage was the commonest form of that (9%).

CONCLUSION

It seems that road traffic accidents continue to be the leading cause of maxillofacial fractures and there is an urgent need to implement enhanced regulations and monitoring on motor vehicular traffic.

Etiological spectrum, injury characteristics and treatment outcome of maxillofacial injuries in a Tanzanian teaching hospital

BACKGROUND

Maxillofacial injuries pose a therapeutic challenges to trauma, maxillofacial and plastic surgeons practicing in developing countries. This study was carried out to determine the etiology, injury characteristics and management outcome of maxillofacial injuries at our teaching hospital.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective hospital based study of maxillofacial injury patients was carried out at Bugando Medical Centre from November 2008 to October 2009. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPPS computer software version 11.5.

RESULTS

A total of 154 patients were studied. Males outnumbered females by a ratio of 2.7:1. Their mean age was 28.32 ± 16.48 years and the modal age group was 21-30 years. Most injuries were caused by road traffic crushes (57.1%), followed by assault and falls in 16.2% and 14.3% respectively. Soft tissue injuries and mandibular fractures were the most common type of injuries. Head/neck (53.1%) and limb injuries (28.1%) were the most prevalent associated injuries. Surgical debridement (95.1%) was the most common surgical procedures. Closed reduction of maxillofacial fractures was employed in 81.5% of patients. Open reduction and internal fixation was performed in 6.8% of cases. Complications occurred in 24% of patients, mainly due to infection and malocclusion. The mean duration of hospital stay was 18.12 ± 12.24 days. Mortality rate was 11.7%.

CONCLUSION

Road traffic crashes remain the major etiological factor of maxillofacial injuries in our setting. Measures on prevention of road traffic crashes should be strongly emphasized in order to reduce the occurrence of these injuries.

Comparative study of earthquake-related and non-earthquake-related head traumas using multidetector computed tomography

OBJECTIVE

The features of earthquake-related head injuries may be different from those of injuries obtained in daily life because of differences in circumstances. We aim to compare the features of head traumas caused by the Sichuan earthquake with those of other common head traumas using multidetector computed tomography.

METHODS

In total, 221 patients with earthquake-related head traumas (the earthquake group) and 221 patients with other common head traumas (the non-earthquake group) were enrolled in our study, and their computed tomographic findings were compared. We focused the differences between fractures and intracranial injuries and the relationships between extracranial and intracranial injuries.

RESULTS

More earthquake-related cases had only extracranial soft tissue injuries (50.7% vs. 26.2%, RR = 1.9), and fewer cases had intracranial injuries (17.2% vs. 50.7%, RR = 0.3) compared with the non-earthquake group. For patients with fractures and intracranial injuries, there were fewer cases with craniocerebral injuries in the earthquake group (60.6% vs. 77.9%, RR = 0.8), and the earthquake-injured patients had fewer fractures and intracranial injuries overall (1.5 + 0.9 vs. 2.5 +1.8; 1.3 + 0.5 vs. 2.1 + 1.1). Compared with the non-earthquake group, the incidences of soft tissue injuries and cranial fractures combined with intracranial injuries in the earthquake group were significantly lower (9.8% vs. 43.7%, RR = 0.2; 35.1% vs. 82.2%, RR = 0.4).

CONCLUSION

As depicted with computed tomography, the severity of earthquake-related head traumas in survivors was milder, and isolated extracranial injuries were more common in earthquake-related head traumas than in non-earthquake-related injuries, which may have been the result of different injury causes, mechanisms and settings.