Facial fractures in a reference center for Level I Traumas. Descriptive study

Objectives

The aim of the present descriptive study was to record data on maxillofacial trauma in working adults in a 3 year-period in a reference trauma centre in Chile.

Materials and methods

A descriptive study was conducted on cases of maxillofacial fractures treated in the Maxillofacial Surgery Unit of the Hospital Clínico Mutual de Seguridad, Santiago de Chile, over a 3-year period. Frequency, type and cause of injury, as well as age and gender distribution were analysed.

Results

The study population consisted of 283 patients, 259 (91.5%) males and 24 (8.5%) females with a mean age of 40.5 (SD: ±20.5) years. In 499 fracture sites zygomatic fractures were the most prevalent location of the 499 fracture sites, in both males and females (48%), followed by orbital fractures (27.2%), and jaw fractures (21.2%). The most common affected part of the face was isolated mid-facial fractures. Traffic-accident-related fractures were the most common cause (39.2%), with the largest proportion of these involving a car accident.

Discussion

The results presented are in line with other studies and the analysis of this report provides important data for the design of plans for injury prevention, especially for measures in road traffic.