Maxillofacial trauma and its management presenting at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore during Covid-19 pandemic.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the patterns of maxillofacial injuries, aetiology and their management during the pandemic of Covid-19 in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. METHODS: This is a single center, prospective cross-sectional study. Patients from all age groups who presented at the Emergency room of Jinnah Hospital Lahore and managed by the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department during 1st December 2020 till 31st January 2021 were included. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS for Windows, Version 20.0. RESULTS: Total 202 patient were analyzed, 161 (79.7%) were male and 41 (20.3%) were females. Male to female ratio was 4:1. About fifty three percent of patients belonged to the age group 15-35 years. The most common cause was road traffic accidents (RTA), followed by fall. Eighty-three (41.1%) had only soft tissue injuries without any bony fracture and 119 (58.9%) had facial bones fractures. Zygomatic bone fracture was most common (53.8%) followed by mandible fracture (31.1%). Sixty-one out of 119 patients with fractures were treated with Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF). Three patients had complete loss of vision because of facial trauma. Only 56 (28%) patients were managed under General Anaesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: During the initial pandemic era, a large majority of patients presenting with maxillofacial injuries were young male adults. The most common cause of maxillofacial trauma was RTAs. Soft tissue injuries were predominant followed by facial bone fractures and zygomatic bone was more frequent among the fracture cases. Covid-19 pandemic increased the difficulties faced in the management of maxillofacial trauma patients.

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology In Comparison To Open Biopsy For Lesions Of Oral Cavity In COVID-19 Era.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy and uses of fine needle aspiration cytology with histopathology in the diagnosis of lesions of oral cavity. METHODS: The single-centre, prospective, non-randomised controlled trial was conducted at the departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pathology of Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from January 10 to August 10, 2021, and comprised patients of either gender aged >10 years having superficial or deep well- established mass, palpable, nodular, ulcerative lesions, swellings of the oral cavity or of major or minor salivary glands having intraoral presence or manifestation with size >1 cm. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. RESULTS: Of the 43 patients, 22(51.2%) were males and 21(48.8%) were females. The overall mean age was 40.5±15 years (range 13-70 years). On cytological examination, 6(14%) samples were excluded for being insufficient aspirate. Of the remaining 37(86%) samples, 20(51.4%) were detected with malignancy on histopathology. The accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology was 33(89.19%). Conclusion: Fine needle aspiration was found to be a reliable and cost-effective technique in the diagnosis of oral cavity lesions.