The purpose of this study was to identify the aetiology and management of facial fractures in patients over 60 years old and to identify potential trends in caseload to assist with planning of resources for maxillofacial services in the coming decades. We made a prospective study over 2 years (2009-2010), during which all injured patients referred to the oral and maxillofacial surgery unit at The Canberra Hospital, Australia were recruited. The patients were classified into two groups: less than 60 years old (younger group); or 60 years old or more (older group). Factors studied included sex, age, aetiology, site of fractures, severity scored using the Maxillofacial Injury Severity Score (MFISS), and management. Based on current trends, the expected workload was extrapolated. A total of 470 patients were recruited (younger: n=430 and older: n=40). Falls were the most common cause of fracture in the older group (85%) and the zygoma (40%) was the bone most commonly fractured. The mean (SD) MFISS for the older group was 3.8 (2.2) (17% of these maxillofacial injuries were operated on) and 6.0 (5.0) for the younger group (72% of these were operated on). In Australia, population trends suggest that older people as a proportion of the total population will rise from about 20% of 22 million to 26% of 30 million by 2034. As the older group increases there will be a corresponding increase in the number of older people who present with trauma to maxillofacial units. The overall maxillofacial surgical workload will probably not increase much because the injuries tend to be less severe and are less likely to require operation.

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We performed a study to determine pressure distribution properties of the normal radio-carpal joint. A system was developed for measurement of the contact pressure within the wrist joint surfaces. The transducer was based on Fuji pressure-sensitive paper, which was inserted into the joint space through a dorsal capsular incision. The hand was then positioned using a jig that permitted free axial loading of the joint. Each of five specimens was tested in 36 positions combining flexion/extension with radio/ulnar deviation and supination/pronation. The transducers were analyzed for contact area, scapho-lunate contact area ratio, pressure, and centroid locations using a microcomputer-based video-imaging system. The scaphoid and lunate contact areas on the radius and triangular fibrocartilage were separate and distinct in all wrist positions. Together these contact areas accounted for a relatively small fraction of the total joint surface area (average contact area/total joint area = 0.206, SD = 0.0495). For an applied 103 Newton compressive load, the high pressure averaged 3.17 MPa (SD = 0.83 MPa). Overall, the scaphoid contact area was 1.47 times that of the lunate, although variations occurred with position, as in flexion, in which the scaphoid/lunate area ratio was 0.83. The high-pressure centroids of both scaphoid and lunate contact areas shifted palmarly from 20 degrees of flexion to 20 degrees of extension and then dorsally with further extension. The scaphoid-lunate intercentroid distance averaged 14.91 mm with a range of 10-20 mm.

Background: Alcohol as a cofactor in interpersonal violence (IPV) has been established by studies from a number of countries. This study aimed to determine if alcohol was a cofactor in the incidence or severity of mandible fracture. Methods: A prospective study of mandible fracture patients presenting for oral maxillofacial review over 16 months was completed. Injury severity was assessed utilizing the Mandible Injury Severity Score (MISS). Results: A total of 252 facial trauma cases presented to our tertiary referral centre, 83 with fractures of the mandible. The majority of presentations were secondary to IPV (n = 54, 65.06%), 49 (90.74%) of these cases involved alcohol. Overall, alcohol was involved in 63.85% of cases (n = 53). The relative risk of requiring surgical intervention with alcohol involvement was 2.68 (CI = 1.11-9.47). Alcohol significantly increased facial fracture severity for MISS: alcohol (n = 53) 13.07 ± 5.01, no alcohol (n = 30) 11.03 ± 4.87 (p < 0.05). IPV also increased facial fracture severity for MISS: IPV (n = 54) 13.09 ± 4.90, non-IPV (n = 29) 11.00 ± 4.81 (p < 0.05). The angle of the mandible was most commonly fractured (40.5% of cases). Conclusions: Mandible fracture patients, whose injury is a result of IPV, have more severe fractures and a higher likelihood of requiring surgery if alcohol is involved. This correlates to a higher surgical workload, economic and social burden to the community. Primary alcohol and IPV prevention strategies will play an important role in reducing mandible fracture.