Etiology and incidence of maxillofacial skeletal injuries at tertiary care hospital, Larkana, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to determine the causes, incidence and distribution of maxillofacial injuries. This was a descriptive study performed at the tertiary care hospital of Larkana [Accident and Emergency Department of Chandka Medical College, Hospital and Outpatient's Department of Bibi Aseefa Dental College Hospital, Larkana] from 1st February 2011 to 30th August 2013. Two hundred and eighty eight patients of maxillofacial injuries were included in this study patients less than 11 years of age, suffering from neurological disorders and patients with isolated cases of dental and nasal injuries or only with facial lacerations were excluded. Information and data were collected from history, clinical examination and surgical preoperative records of each patient. Results showed that the most common etiology was road traffic accident [170] 59%, interpersonal violence [31] 10.76%, gunshot injuries [28] 9.7%, falls [19] 6.5% and others [40] 13.88%. The mandible was the most frequent bone fractured, which accounted for [148] 50.38% followed by zygomatic complex [52] 18% and [24] 8.3% maxillary bone. Fracture in combination form involved [64] 22%. It was concluded that road traffic accident was the most common etiological factor of maxillofacial skeletal trauma, while second most common cause was the interpersonal violence. Mandible was the most commonly fractured bone