Evaluation of the Spectrum Of Co-Existing Injuries In Patients With Maxillofacial Trauma: A Retrospective Study

Aim: To evaluate the types and frequency of co-existing injuries in patients sustaining maxillofacial trauma in a tertiary care centre of Tamil Nadu. Settings: Trauma, being referred as silent epidemic of the era, potentially results in millions of death every year worldwide. The maxillofacial surgeon, being a part of the trauma team, gets to examine the patient first hand and thus has a shared responsibility to thoroughly assess the injuries incurred by other systems in addition to the survey of maxillofacial injuries. This study intends to highlight the need for an interdisciplinary management model in approaching facial trauma. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 888 maxillofacial trauma cases reported to the emergency department during the last five years was done. Detailed review of primary and secondary survey was done. Age, gender, mechanism of injury, type and frequency of fracture, type and frequency of concomitant injury were recorded and subjected to statistical analysis. Result: Associated injuries were sustained by 329 patients. Majority sustaining injuries were 20- 39 years and predominantly males. Soft tissue injury was frequently observed. Mandibular fractures were the most common among the hard tissue injury. Concomitant injuries observed in descending order was Neurologic, Orthopaedic, Ophthalmologic, Chest and finally abdominal. Conclusion: Sound knowledge on the type and severity of associated injuries of other systems is mandatory for every surgeon to keep any latent life threatening conditions at the surgeons catch.