An assessment of cervical spine injury associated with maxillofacial trauma: A retrospective study of 3 years

Introduction: The incidence of cervical spine injuries associated with facial fractures varies from etiology to etiology. There is general concept that immediate management of cervical spine injuries is necessary to prevent further neurologic complications. However, disagreement exists as to the actual incidence of cervical spinal trauma in conjunction with various facial fracture patterns. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of cervical spine injury associated with various types of facial fractures at our institution. Materials and Method: A retrospective study was conducted at our institution of cranio maxillofacial fracture patients presenting from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017. Results:The data from this 3-year time period revealed a total of 62 patients with cervical spine injuries out of 456 patients presenting with cranio maxillofacial fractures. The overall incidence of cervical spine injury was 13.59 percent. Of these patients, 18 had isolated upper third facial or skull fractures, whereas isolated middle third facial fractures were seen in 148 patients and isolated lower third facial fractures were present in 251 patients. Combined facial fracture patterns, involving two or more facial thirds, accounted for39 patients. Conclusions: The relationship between cervical spinal injuries and cranio maxillofacial trauma has been better defined as it relates to a regional trauma registry. The implications as related to the trauma assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of these injuries are reviewed.