A clinical study of oral and maxillofacial traumas at a critical care medical center

From May 1996 through December 1997, 306 patients with multiple traumas were treated at the Critical Care Medical Center of Hiroshima Prefectural Hospital. Of these patients, 110 (35.9%) had maxillofacial injuries. These patients with maxillofacial injuries were studied.The results were as follows:1) The most common cause of trauma was traffic accidents (81.9%).2) Common coexisting injuries in the 110 patients with maxillofacial injuries were injuries of the extremities and pelvis (51.8%), skull and brain (33.6%), and thorax and lung (30.9%).3) Maxillofacial injuries did not affect the prognosis of patients with multiple traumas.4) Twenty-six (23.6%) patients had maxillofacial fractures. There were 48 facial fractures in 26 patients. Midface fractures were most common (31/48, 64.5%), while mandibular fractures were less frequent (14/48, 29.2%).5) Of the 26 patients with maxillofacial fractures, airway obstruction necessitating tracheostomy was present in 5 (19.2%).6) Le Fort II, M and median fractures of maxilla increased as compared with the incidence in our previous study (from 1986 through 1993).Our study showed that facial injuries were often present in the patients with multiple traumas. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons therefore play an important role in the care of patients with polytrauma who have facial injuries.