[Mild brain injuries: definition, classifications and prognosis]. / Traumatismes crâniens légers: définition, classifications, pronostic.

Brain injuries may be graded into mild, moderate and severe depending on clinical and radiological criterions. Mild brain injuries (MBI) are usually defined by an initial unconsciousness limited to 30 minutes, a Glasgow score between 13 and 15, the absence of intra-cranial lesion on the CT scan, a post-traumatic amnesia period between one and 24 hours depending on the authors. The consequences of a MBI may be simple but the injured often suffer from a transitory post-concussive syndrome. Traumatic stress states are a well known pathology and consist in a psychological reaction against the trauma. The acute traumatic stress may or may not run its course to a chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, formerly called post-traumatic neurosis.

[Clinical scoring scales for brain injury]. / Méthodes d'étude clinique des traumatismes crâniens.

The development of data processing techniques has enabled the establishment of large databanks on brain injury. Clinical features are described with clinical scoring scales, the main one being the Glasgow Coma Scale. Three types of patient response are analyzed: eye opening, oral answers, active muscular reaction. The advantages and disadvantages of each are presented. Others scales have been proposed but are not in common use. Several classifications have been established combining depth and length of coma. Post-traumatic amnesia, i.e. the period of time running from the injury to recovery of anterograde memory, constitutes the most important parameter in the classification of these injuries. Generally, three gravity grades are used: mild, moderate and severe brain injuries. Knowledge of the prognosis is essential for determining the most appropriate medical care and is directly related to the quality of the collected data. Five outcome categories can be described.

[Long-term functional and aesthetic sequelae after complex facial trauma associated with a mild brain injury]. / Séquelles esthétiques et fonctionnelles à long terme des victimes d'un fracas facial associé à un traumatisme crânien.

INTRODUCTION: Most victims of complex facial trauma will have permanent sequelae. The goal of our work was to evaluate, by means of a retrospective study, the long-term sequelae in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 102 victims of complex facial trauma were treated in our department between 1995 and 2000. Twenty-four could be re-examined in 2006 in order to evaluate their long-term sequelae. All the patients suffered a mild brain injury. RESULTS: The overall satisfaction rate was good (19/24), but all patients presented either functional or aesthetic sequelae. The major functional sequelae were dental lost (17/24), sensory impairment of the trigeminal nerve (15/24), partial or complete loss of vision (10/24), pain (10/24), hypo- or anosmia (9/24), stenosis of the lacrimal ducts (8/24) and symptomatic deviation of the nasal septum (7/24). The main esthetic sequelae were facial scarring (23/24), facial asymmetry (13/24), dystopia of the eyeball (11/24) and modification of the aspect of the nose (10/24). DISCUSSION: The prognosis of severe facial trauma is highly dependent on the quality of the initial pluridisciplinary care. Secondary revision procedures are technically more difficult and only enable partial resolution of persisting sequelae. Thus, primary single-course surgical procedures should be a priority, recognizing that complete recovery is almost always illusory.

[Long-term functional, psychic, social, occupational and judiciary outcome in victims of facial trauma]. / Devenir fonctionnel, psychique, socio-professionnel et judiciaire à long terme des patients victimes d'un fracas facial.

The cases of 102 people who suffered brain and facial trauma were reviewed, noting the long-term outcome at more than 5 years. Results of complete physical examinations performed by a surgeon and an internist were available for 25 patients. Data noted were: circumstances of the traumatic event, classification of brain injuries, sensory and sensorial disorders, and persistent pain, psychological trauma, social and occupational consequences and at the final legal and financial compensation. These data were summarized in tables to facilitate discussion of the findings.

[Psychological aspects of facial trauma]. / Aspects psychologiques des fracas faciaux.

The anatomic lesions resulting from facial trauma have serious psychological implications. The topic can be divided into three parts. First, the psychological trauma begins by a simple conception of the psychic structure. Secondly, an external crust protects an inner structure whose role is to maintain a vital function and a pleasure function. Thirdly, the face materializes these two functions. Facial trauma totally disrupts the external crust with staggering psychic implications, releasing the archaic process of survival. After this initial event, a second step is required where the trauma is interiorized leading to a highly variable clinical course which involves recovery, disturbed memory, and a depressive syndrome. The clinical manifestations and possibilities for preventing the post-commotional syndrome are also discussed together with the psychological disorders implied with facial traumatism: disorders linked to the perception of the face, esthetic damage, neurological and sensorial disorders. The course is basically linked to the personality of the patient.

[A therapeutic approach: the "Maxillo Family"]. / Une approche thérapeutique: "Famille Maxillo."

For patients with severe facial injuries, global management from trauma to "cure", is the leitmotif in the department of maxillofacial surgery of Besançon. The progressive development of therapy groups led to the creation of the "Maxillo Family" which is more or less modelled after well known "Gueules Cassées" French Association. We also created the "Journal of Maxillo" in which every injured patient can write his own story. This seems to be a very good therapeutic approach not only from the patients' point of view but also for practitioners and nurses. The testimony of a young woman victim of a dramatic accident with severe facial injury illustrates the interesting aspects of this therapeutic approach.

[Total work disability: a national inquiry in France]. / L'ITT en traumatologie cranio-maxillo-faciale: résultats d'une enquête nationale.

Physicians are often asked to draft a descriptive medical certificate for victims of traumatic maxillofacial injuries. Among other requisites, this certificate must mention the subject's total work disability. If the injury results from intentional or unintentional assault and battery, the duration of the work disability will determine the competence of the court that will try and condemn the perpetrator. Thus the total work disability certificate has penal value and should be used only for this purpose. Using the data acquired from a national inquiry in France, we evaluated common practices among a panel of maxillofacial teams concerning the information mentioned on the initial medical certificate and, in particular, the duration of work disability allocated for the most frequent facial fractures. The aim of this study was to establish, based on the observed practices, whether it would be licit to propose a total work disability scale for maxillofacial trauma.