TY - JOUR PY - 2015// TI - Maxillofacial fractures at Waikato Hospital, New Zealand: 2004 to 2013 JO - New Zealand medical journal A1 - Moore, Blake K. A1 - Smit, Ryan A1 - Colquhoun, Agnus A1 - Thompson, W. Murray SP - 96 EP - 102 VL - 128 IS - 1426 N2 - Injury to the maxillofacial region continues to place a burden on hospital care in New Zealand, with maxillofacial fractures often being associated with both a significant social cost and personal morbidity. This article describes the characteristics, aetiology and treatment patterns in a tertiary maxillofacial centre in New Zealand during a 10-year period. Over the observation period, a total of 1,975 cases were treated, with a male-to-female ratio of 4:1. The highest incidence was in the 20-29-year-age group. Interpersonal violence (IPV) was the most common aetiology, observed in 54.5% overall, and more common among males than females (58% and 38% respectively; P<0.001). Falls were the most common cause of injury among older females (those aged 50+). Comparison to an earlier analysis shows that IPV-related maxillofacial trauma has increased significantly at this tertiary centre, increasing from 36.2% of cases in 1989-2000, to 54.5% in 2004-2013. There remains an urgent need for appropriate health promotion to reduce interpersonal violence, as well as an increase in the staffing numbers of maxillofacial units in New Zealand.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0028-8446 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -