%0 Journal Article
%T Maxillofacial Fractures: Etiology, Pattern of Presentation, and Treatment in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
%A S. E. Udeabor
%A B. O. Akinbami
%A K. S. Yarhere
%A A. E. Obiechina
%J Journal of Dental Surgery
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/850814
%X Objective. To retrospectively analyze the pattern of presentation and modalities of management of maxillofacial fractures in our center. Methods. The medical records of all the patients who sustained maxillofacial fractures presenting to a major referral hospital in Niger Delta region of Nigeria were retrieved and reviewed. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS statistical package. Results. Eighty-six patients presented with 135 maxillofacial fractures during the period under review. A male to female ration of 3£¿:£¿1 was recorded and patients in their third decade of life were mostly affected (46.5%). Road traffic accident (RTA) was the commonest etiology accounting for 46.5% whereas assault was second (19.8%). The mandible was the most frequently fractured bone (59.3%) followed by the zygoma (18.5%). The main stay of treatment was closed reduction with IMF (40.4%). Conclusion. Treatment modalities for maxillofacial fractures in our center have not witnessed any significant changes. Effort should be made to ensure the availability of miniplates to ensure adequate treatment for all categories of our patients. 1. Introduction Maxillofacial injuries in general occur quite commonly following trauma and these injuries if not properly managed can negatively influence both the psychosocial and functional activities of the patient [1]. This is as a result of the centrality of the facial region as a key factor in human identity, esthetics, and general well-being [1, 2]. These injuries can affect both skeletal and soft tissue structures of the facial region [3, 4] and often times, based on the etiology and mechanism of injury, occur in association with other systemic injuries thereby requiring multidisciplinary approach for their management [4¨C7]. The etiologies of maxillofacial fractures vary from one geographical location to another and also among different age groups. Road traffic accident (RTA) has been severally reported as the leading etiology of maxillofacial fractures especially in the developing world including Nigeria, whereas assault leads the pack of etiologies in the developed world [8¨C11]. However, there is an increasing influence of assault in our environment due to the current wave of terrorism and gun violence. Young men in the second and third decades of life are the worst afflicted owing to the fact that they engage frequently in activities that can predispose them to trauma [9, 10, 12]. Apart from RTA and assaults, other common causes of maxillofacial fractures include sporting injuries, industrial accidents, domestic accidents, falls, and
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jds/2014/850814/