Citation

Roccia F, Sotong J, Savoini M, Ramieri G, Zavattero E. J. Craniofac. Surg. 2019; 30(4): e288-e293.

Affiliation

Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, Surgical Science Department, Città della Salute e delle Scienze Hospital.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/SCS.0000000000005158

PMID

30829886

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the epidemiology, patterns, and management of maxillofacial due to road traffic accidents over a 17-year period.

METHODS: Between January 2001 and December 2017, 2924 patients with maxillofacial fractures were admitted to the Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, Turin, Italy.The following data were analyzed: age, gender, data of the trauma, alcohol and drug abuse, mechanism of injury, fracture site, facial injury severity scale, associated injuries, type of treatment, and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS: Of the 605 patients included in the study, 419 were male and 186 were female (ratio, 2.2:1). The most common mechanism of injury was car accidents (62.6%).More than half of the patients had fractures of the middle third of the maxillofacial skeleton.Associated injuries were detected in 172 (45.5%) patients. In total 5.3% of patients did not undergo surgery. The average hospital stay was 7.3 days.

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows an important reduction in maxillofacial fractures following road traffic accidents since the turn of the new millennium. At least in north-western Italy, road safety policies implemented in the last 30 years seem to have affected the behavior of motorists and motorcyclists.

Language: en