Effect of music therapy on pain and anxiety during third molar surgery

Music therapy has been used with promising results to reduce pain and anxiety in surgical specialties. It is suggested to reduce anxiety and pain perception during dental surgeries and thereby improving clinical outcomes. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine whether listening to music during trans-alveolar mandibular third molar extraction reduces pain perception and anxiety. Methods: One hundred and forty-six adult participants were randomized into music and non-music groups, with each group comprising seventy-three participants. Each participant had trans-alveolar third molar extraction with or without music intervention depending on the group randomly assigned. Pain scores of participants were measured at one minute after consent, during and after administration of local anaesthetic, during osteotomy, after tooth delivery, and one minute after flap closure. Postoperative pain scores were recorded at one-hour, 3-hour, 6-hour, 24-hour and 48-hour after the last stitch. Pre- and post-operative anxiety scores were also recorded. Descriptive statistics was used to describe sociodemographic data. Student t-test was used to compare the mean of quantitative variables between the groups while chi-square test was used to compare proportions and to investigate association between categorical variables. The statistical significance was defined at p<0.05. Results: The study showed similar sociodemographic characteristics, baseline clinical features and duration of surgery between groups. Pain score peaked during local anaesthetic administration (p = 0.254) and at 3 hours after surgery (p = 0.170) but no statistically significant difference was observed in the mean pain score. The mean anxiety scores also revealed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Music was found to add no significant anxiolytic and adjunctive analgesic benefit to participants who underwent third molar surgeries in this study

Is Blood Transfusion Justified During Soft Tissue Surgery in Noma Patients? A One-Year Appraisal at Noma Children Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Background: Non-utilization of blood and inappropriate blood transfusion are common in surgical operations. Some surgical procedures are associated with minimal bleeding that does not warrant blood transfusion. No previous study has looked at the pattern of blood loss in noma defect repair to determine the possible need for blood transfusion. Aim/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the total amount of blood loss, the number of units of blood transfused, and the correlation between estimated blood loss and total operating time in patients who had surgical correction of noma defects. Materials and Methods: This is a hospital-based cross-sectional study of 35 patients who underwent surgical correction of noma defects. Age, sex, pre- and post-operative haemoglobin (Hb), number of requested blood units, total operating time, and total estimated blood loss were recorded. The methods used for the blood loss estimation were gauze swabs, Abdo-packs, drapes, and suction bottles. Results: Comparison of the mean pre- and post-operative Hb did not yield any statistically significant difference. The total estimated blood loss in these surgeries was in the range of 65-209 mL, with a mean of 117.20 ± 35.88 mL. No correlation between estimated blood loss and total operating time was noted (P = 0.940). No blood was transfused in any of the subjects. Conclusion: This study observed minimal blood loss in surgical corrections of the soft tissue noma defect. Apart from blood grouping, there may be no need for routine cross-matching of blood pre-operatively for surgical repair of noma defect. However, more studies are needed to buttress this finding.

Orofacial lesions associated with long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy among HIV-seropositive adults in Ibadan, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has contributed to a reduction in HIV- related oral lesions and improved quality of life among HIV seropositive patients. However, the therapy is not without its side effects. This study was aimed at assessing the self- reported orofacial manifestations due to long term use of HAART, as well as the pattern of oral lesions on examination. METHODS: this was a cross-sectional study conducted among HIV seropositive adult patients in Ibadan, who had been on HAART for at least two years. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Clinical diagnosis of HIV-related oral lesions was made according to the EC-Clearinghouse criteria. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 25. RESULTS: the study participants comprised of 227 HIV seropositive patients who were HAART experienced, with 54 (24%) males and 173 (76%) females. Their mean age (±SD) was 44.7 (±9.4) years. The participants CD4 count ranged from 13-1338cells/mm3, with a median count of 341 cells/mm3. About half (45%) of the participants noted one or more orofacial changes since they commenced HAART. These oral changes included dryness of mouth, burning sensation, abnormal taste, melanotic hyperpigmentation, oral thrush, ulcers, and parotid swelling. Most of those who reported oral changes had been on HAART over 10 years (p=0.03), and the changes were more reported among those on the first-line regimen. CONCLUSION: melanotic hyperpigmentation was the most common oral lesion found and burning mouth syndrome was the most commonly reported complain among HIV-seropositive adults who are on long-term HAART.

Burdens and predictors of the Burden experienced by Family Caregivers of Patients with Oral and Maxillofacial Tumours.

Aim: There is a dearth of knowledge on the burden of family caregivers of patients with maxillofacial tumours in Nigeria. This burden may be influenced by racial peculiarities and the disease entity of the patient. The aim of this study is to assess and document the burdens and predictors of burdens experienced by family caregivers of patients with oral maxillofacial tumours presenting at a tertiary health facility in South Western Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study that included 110 consenting family caregivers of patients diagnosed with oral and maxillofacial tumours. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on their sociodemographic characteristics and caregiving burden using the Zarit burden interview tool. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0. Result: The most frequent group of caregivers was patients' children (32.0%), aged 30-39 years (28.2%), females (54.5%), with secondary education (41.8%), and traders (38.2%), who earned less than national minimum wage (55.5%). Majority (42.7%) experienced mild-to-moderate burden; coping strategy was mainly prayers (76.4%), while the greatest need expressed was financial assistance (93.6%). The significant predictors of caregiver burden were the presence of pain (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.961; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.165-7.526; P = 0.023) and severe clinical condition (AOR = 3.342; 95% CI = 1.133-9.853; P = 0.029). Conclusion: The most common category of the burden of family caregivers of patients with maxillofacial tumours was the mild-to-moderate category, and the most significant predictors were the presence of pain and severity of clinical condition. The greatest need expressed was financial assistance. Therefore, an emphasis on adequate pain control and alternate sources of funding may appreciably relieve the burden of family caregivers of patients with maxillofacial tumours.

The Effect of Single-Dose Bupivacaine on Postoperative Iliac Crest Graft Donor Site Pain.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative donor site pain remains a major source of morbidity following iliac crest bone graft harvesting (ICBGH). AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of single-dose infiltration of bupivacaine on donor site pain following ICBGH. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial of 30 adult individuals that required an ICBG as part of the treatment for mandibular reconstruction. Individuals were divided into two groups, to receive a single-dose subcutaneous infiltration of either 0.25% bupivacaine or 0.9% normal saline at the iliac crest graft incision site following ICBGH. Length of incision at the ICBGH site, dimensions of harvested graft, time taken for the iliac crest harvest surgery, total daily dose of postoperative analgesics, pain from the ICBGH site as well as gait disturbance were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There was a progressive decrease in pain score from the 1st to the 4th postoperative day, with no significant difference between the two groups. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of dynamic median pain score at the early postoperative period as well as at the 4th and 12th week postoperative period. The analgesic consumption between the two groups also did not show any significant difference. CONCLUSION: Local injection of single dose of 0.25% bupivacaine did not offer additional benefit in the management of postoperative iliac crest donor site pain following ICBGH.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology in Head and Neck Lesions from a Tertiary Health Facility in Southwestern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is widely employed as an initial investigative tool in the diagnosis of various lesions in the body, however, it is limited in the provision of precise architectural detail of lesions. This is said to be responsible for the wide variation in the documented usefulness and accuracy relative to histopathology. This study aimed to correlate cytopathological and histopathological examination (HPE) of head and neck lesions, and assess the usefulness and accuracy of FNAC in our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study that utilized historical data obtained from case notes and histopathology records of 91 patients that had both FNAC and HPE done for head and neck lesions in our center during the study. The FNAC results were correlated with that of the histopathological diagnosis to obtain the accuracy of the FNAC diagnosis. Diagnostic validity of FNAC in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value were also evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 91 FNAC-HPE sample pairs were included. The Sensitivity and specificity for benign lesion was 95.4% and 42.3%, respectively, while for sensitivity and specificity for malignant lesion was 31.8% and 96.9%, respectively. The overall Sensitivity and specificity for cytology was 96.8% and 30.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: FNAC appears to be a useful tool in the initial assessment of head and neck lesions in our center, however, the high rate of missed diagnosis especially as concerned malignancies has dire negative treatment implications. There is need to develop capacity for improved skill in making cytopathologic diagnoses among anatomical pathologists involved in the use of FNAC as diagnostic and screening tool.

The Burden and Perceived Stress on Family Caregivers of Patients With Orofacial Cleft Deformities in The Perioperative Period of Cleft Repair.

Different stages along the trajectory of cleft care may present with different and peculiar challenges that may negatively impact family caregivers, leading to considerable stress and burden. This study aims to evaluate the family caregiver burden and perceived stress of caring for patients with cleft deformities. Contributing factors to family caregivers' burden in the perioperative period of cleft repair was also identified. A cross-sectional design that included 90 adult caregiver-patient pairs was employed. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect necessary information. The level of caregiver's burden was assessed using the Zarit burden interview score. The results demonstrated the levels of caregiver burden as severe (4.4%), moderate to severe (21.1%), mild to moderate (40%), and little or none (34.5%). The only significant and independent predictor of caregiver burden was earning less than US$50/month (odds ratio = 2.30, 95% CI = 0.95-5.61, P = .066). Coping strategy was mainly family support (98.9%), while the greatest need expressed was financial assistance (66.7%). Our findings suggests that efforts geared at reducing direct and indirect cost of cleft care may help in reducing caregivers' burden.

Attitude and Behavior to Oral Health of 456 Patients Who Presented for Tooth Extraction at 2 Health Facilities in Southwestern Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Tooth loss can indicate the population's oral health situation; majority of patients presenting for tooth extraction have poor oral health behavior and dental service utilization. Understanding the factors responsible for the poor attitude may help in designing targeted intervention to improve their oral health behavior. This study aims to find out the effects of dental health attitude and behavior on tooth mortality in a cohort of adults attending the oral surgery clinic for tooth extraction in 2 health facilities in southwestern Nigeria. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Cross-sectional study of consecutive adult patients who presented at the oral surgery clinic for tooth extraction. Clinical and demographic data, oral health habits, and pattern of previous dental clinic attendance were collected. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 19.0. Variables were subjected to univariate and multivariate logistic regression to evaluate factors influencing dental habit and dental service utilization. RESULTS: The study comprised a total of 453 respondents, consisting of 239 nonattenders, 196 in-trouble attenders, and 18 regular attenders, with majority (59.4%) of them being low earners or not gainfully employed. Majority (64.8%) of the in-trouble attenders had attained tertiary education. Attendance pattern had no influence on the number of extractions needed. CONCLUSION: Despite high educational attainment and availability of dental services, most patients presenting for extraction have poor oral health habit and are problem-oriented attenders. Socioeconomic disparities and poor dental habits appear to be part of the major factors responsible for poor dental behavior among the study subjects.

Clinical Parameters and Challenges of Managing Cervicofacial Necrotizing Fasciitis in a Sub-Saharan Tertiary Hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Necrotizing fasciitis is a severe soft tissue infection. In our environment, patients presenting with this infection are usually financially incapacitated and, therefore, their management can be challenging. This paper aimed to document the pattern and challenges encountered in the management of cervicofacial necrotizing fasciitis (CNF) in the University College Hospital, Ibadan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information such as biodata, site of infection, systemic conditions, widest span of defect, management provided, hospital stay, and outcome of management was prospectively collected on all patients with CNF who presented at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery between January 2007 and December 2013. The patients were managed according to a devised protocol of antibiotic therapy, serial debridement and honey dressings. RESULTS: Twenty-four cases of CNF were seen. There were 9 males and 15 females while 70.9% of the patients belonged to the low socioeconomic class. The mean span of wound defect was 12.2 (±8.844) cm. The mean hospital stay was 27.8 (±23.1) days, and scar formation was the most common complication encountered. CONCLUSION: Our study represents the largest series of CNF from a Nigerian health facility presently. The management of necrotizing fascitis in the maxillofacial region poses a significant challenge to both the surgeon and the patient. However, the mortality rate of CNF in our center appears comparatively low.

Randomized Controlled Trial comparing Dressing and No Dressing of Surgical Wound after Cleft Lip Repair.

BACKGROUND: Cover wound dressings are regarded as important postoperative care following surgical intervention. Opinions differ on whether the cleft lip repair wound should be routinely covered by dressings or not. Therefore, a well designed randomized controlled trial is required to determine if routine cover dressing offers a better outcome. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of wound and cosmetic appearance of cleft lip repair in a randomized controlled trial between cover wound and no wound dressing groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty consecutive patients requiring cleft lip repair were randomized prospectively to receive the traditional wound dressing cover (n = 20) or had the wound left exposed without any dressing cover (n = 20), after the completion of cleft wound closure. The main outcome measures were wound infection and dehiscence rates in the two groups, in addition to the scar cosmetic outcomes. RESULT: The two groups were comparable in terms of age and sex. The incidence of wound infection was 0% (0/20) in cover dressing group as compared to 5% (1/20) in no cover dressing group (p = 0.31). No statistical significant differences in the wound dehiscence rate between the wounds that received dressing (15%) and those with no dressing (20%) were observed. The mean diameter of scar at the 5th to 8th week review appointments was almost similar between the group with dressing (3.29 ± 1.26 mm) and no dressing (3.62 ± 1.28 mm). The patient reported outcome in relation to the cosmetic appearance of the scar after repair was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in the main outcome measures between the group that had cover dressing and those with exposed wound after cleft lip repair surgery. This study demonstrates that dressing of cleft repair wound may be unnecessary.

Oral and dental lesions in HIV infected Nigerian children.

INTRODUCTION: Oral diseases in the HIV infected children though commonly encountered are under researched and often overlooked by physicians in developing countries. The aim of this study is to document the types and frequency of oral lesions in HIV infected children and examine the effects of management with HAART on their rates. METHODS: A cross sectional study designed to identify the oral lesions in consecutive HIV infected children and their distribution at a Paediatric Anti-retroviral clinic. Information on oral disease and clinical features of the subjects were obtained by history and clinical examination and laboratory investigations by the pediatricians and dental surgeons. RESULTS: The 58 children studied consisted of 34 boys and 24 girls with their ages ranging from 3 months to 13 years. Thirty seven (63.8%) of the 58 children had oral diseases. Enamel hypoplasia, candidiasis, caries, angular chelitis, and herpes labialis were the most common oral lesions found in the patients. Oral soft tissue lesions were less frequently encountered among children on HAART. Statistical significance was recorded among those infected with candidiasis. More than 60% of the children diagnosed with oral disease had no knowledge of the state of their oral health before the study. CONCLUSION: Oral diseases are very common amongst the children studied. Awareness of oral disease among the children and their caregivers is low. Administration of HAART may have a preventive effect on the development of oral soft tissue disease. There is a need to integrate dental care into the paediatric HIV care programs.

Patterns, severity, and management of maxillofacial injuries in a suburban South Western Nigeria tertiary center.

BACKGROUND: Trauma remains a leading cause of maxillofacial injury globally. Changing etiological factors and patterns of maxillofacial injury continue to be reported and are largely modulated by socio-geographic and environmental factors. It is important to have an in-depth understanding of the pattern and etiology in a particular region before effective preventive measures can be developed. AIM: The aim was to evaluate the patterns, etiological factors, and management of maxillofacial injuries in Ogun state, Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective descriptive cohort study of all consecutive patients that presented with maxillofacial injuries at our center between January and December 2013. Information about demographic data, types of maxillofacial and associated injury, etiology of injury, treatment received and complications were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Seventy patients presented with maxillofacial injury during the study period with a male to female ratio of 4:1. The age range was 9 months to 60 years with a mean of 30.11 ± standard deviation 14.97 years. Majority of the facial fractures were due to motorcycle related crashes. There were 57.1% mandibular fractures and 55.7% middle third fractures. Closed reduction with maxillo-mandibular fixation was the major method of treatment of facial fractures. Postoperative complications were observed in 11.4% of patients. CONCLUSION: Road traffic crashes (RTCs) remain the leading etiological factor of maxillofacial injuries in our center. Enforcement of stricter traffic regulations and possibly replacement of motorcycles with tricycles for commercial transportation may help to reduce the incidence of RTCs.

Intra-Operative Airway Management in Patients with Maxillofacial Trauma having Reduction and Immobilization of Facial Fractures.

BACKGROUND: Despite advancements in airway management, treatment of fractures in the maxillofacial region under general anesthesia remains a unique anesthetic challenge. We reviewed the pattern of airway management in patients with maxillofacial fractures and assessed those challenges associated with the different airway management techniques employed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anesthetic chart, theatre and maxillofacial operations records of patients who had reduction and immobilization of various maxillofacial fractures over a 2-year period were reviewed. Information obtained included the patient demographics, mechanisms of injury, types of fractures and details about airway management. Statistical Package for Social Sciences, SPSS version 17.0 was utilized for all data analysis. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were recruited during the 2-year study period. Mask ventilation was easy in 80-90% of the patients, 80% had Mallampati three or four, while 4 (7.8%) had laryngoscopy grading of 4. There was no statistically significant difference between the fracture groups in terms of the laryngoscopy grading (P = 0.153) but there was statistical significant difference in the technique of airway management (P = 0.0001). Nasal intubation following direct laryngoscopy was employed in 64.7% of the patients, fiber-optic guided nasal intubation was utilized in only 7.8%. None of the patients had tracheostomy either before or during operative management. CONCLUSION: Laryngoscopic grading and not adequacy of mouth opening predicted difficult intubation in this group of patients in the immediate preoperative period. Despite the distortions in the anatomy of the upper airway that may result from maxillofacial fractures, nasal intubation following direct laryngoscopy may be possible in many patients with maxillofacial fractures.

Spindle cell hemangioma: Unusual presentation of an uncommon tumor.

Spindle cell hemangioma (SCH) is an uncommon tumor that usually presents as subcutaneous or deep dermal nodule affecting the extremities and is typically <2 cm in size. A few cases have been reported in the head and neck region. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are no previous reports of SCH occurring in the orbit in the English literature. We, therefore, report the case of a large SCH involving the right orbit of a healthy 9-year-old Nigerian girl.

Diagnostic proficiency and reporting of Lassa fever by physicians in Osun State of Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Lassa fever is highly contagious and commonly results in death. It is therefore necessary to diagnose and report any suspected case of Lassa fever to facilitate preventive strategies. This study assessed the preparedness of physicians in the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever. METHODS: The study design was descriptive cross-sectional. The consenting medical doctors completed a self-administered questionnaire on the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analyses. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-five physicians participated in the study. The mean age was 41.5 ± 10.9 years (range, 24-75 years). Most of the physicians were male (78.9%) and had practiced medicine ≥ 20 years (51.5%). Most of the physicians had a good knowledge regarding the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever; however, none of the physicians had ever diagnosed or reported a suspected case. Predictors of good knowledge include male sex, not practicing at a secondary health care level and post graduation year more than 20 years. CONCLUSION: There is disparity in knowledge and practices of physicians regarding the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever. Thus, it is necessary to improve the knowledge and practices of physicians regarding the diagnosis and reporting of Lassa fever.

Bimaxillary keratocystic odontogenic tumour: a case of diagnostic and therapeutic difficulty.

Keratocystic odontogenic tumour (KCOT) is a benign cystic intraosseous tumour of odontogenic origin that is usually solitary except when syndromic. It rarely occurs in the maxilla; therefore a rapidly progressive, nonsyndromic bimaxillary KCOT with locoregional extension poses significant diagnostic and management challenges. To the best of the authors' knowledge, documentation of a nonsyndromic bimaxillary KCOT is nonexistent in the English literature. We therefore present the case of an extensive bimaxillary KCOT in a 38-year-old Nigerian male.

Awareness and attitude to the law banning smoking in public places in Osun State, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE: This study determined the awareness and attitude towards the Osun state prohibition of smoking in public places law. METHOD: Descriptive cross-sectional study design. 520 consenting respondents recruited using a convenience sampling method were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire covering their smoking pattern, awareness and attitude towards the law of prohibition of smoking in public places in Osun State. Data analyzed using descriptive and chi-square statistics. RESULTS: Only 38% were aware of the law while none had seen the document. Fifty six percent felt cigarette smoking is a problem that required the law to be implemented, while only 20% agreed that the law will stop tobacco use. The radio (58%), bill boards (45%) and newspapers (44%) were the major sources of awareness of the law. The perception of risk posed to the public and family health by cigarette smoking was poor among the participants. CONCLUSION: There is poor awareness and attitude to the law of prohibition of smoking in public places in Osun State. It is necessary to increase sensitization of the general public and enforcement of the law.

Clinicopathology of soft tissue lesions associated with extracted teeth.

PURPOSE: The study assessed the prevalence and the clinical and histologic pattern of soft tissue lesions associated with extracted teeth and determined the validity of clinical diagnoses in comparison with histologic diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Soft tissue from the apices of 100 teeth extracted by the intra-alveolar approach and from the follicle of 50 teeth extracted by the transalveolar approach was examined histologically subsequent to clinical diagnosis. The subjects were seen within a 2-year period at the Oral Surgery unit of a Nigerian teaching hospital. Association between age, gender, and the histopathologic diagnosis was assessed, and the clinical presumptive diagnoses were compared with the histopathologic diagnoses using the epidemiologic parameters of sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. RESULTS: There were 76 (50.7%) males and 74 (49.3%) females, with age range of 17 to 77 years (33 +/- 14 years). Although clinical diagnosis indicated that all the cases were inflammatory in origin, histopathologic diagnosis reported 84% to be of inflammatory origin, 10% to be normal tissue, and 6% to be noninflammatory in nature. The noninflammatory lesions included dentigerous cyst (4%), central giant cell granuloma (1.3%), and ameloblastoma (0.7%). Gender and age were not associated statistically with type and frequency of pathology. Inflammatory conditions showed the highest sensitivity (98%). CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that the probability of clinical misdiagnosis of pathologically significant lesions associated with extracted teeth is lowest with inflammation and highest with cysts and neoplasms. Thus, routine histopathologic examination of all recoverable soft tissues associated with extracted teeth would contribute to improve management of cases although the cost and related implications of this need to be investigated further.

Psychological complications of maxillofacial trauma: preliminary findings from a Nigerian university teaching hospital.

PURPOSE: This study sought to determine 1) the prevalence of psychological distress in a series of subjects who sustained maxillofacial injuries and 2) temporal changes in psychological functioning over 12 weeks compared with baseline values. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective, repeated-measures design study of consecutively recruited subjects at a Nigerian university teaching hospital. A total of 51 subjects with facial injuries had repeated follow-up assessments (10 days, 6 to 8 weeks, and 10 to 12 weeks) after the trauma, using standard instruments. RESULTS: The General Health Questionnaire identified a high prevalence of psychological morbidity in the subjects (90%), with 41.2% and 11.8% scoring above threshold values on the hospital anxiety and depression scales, respectively. Five subjects satisfied the criteria on the Trauma Screening Questionnaire for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder during the follow-up period. Psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire caseness) remained at high levels during the 2 follow-up assessments. CONCLUSIONS: The management of facial injuries should integrate a multidisciplinary approach that addresses the psychological needs of the patients in both the short term and the long term.