Epidemiology of Maxillofacial Fractures Among Patients Reporting to Emergency Room of a Tertiary Care Center In Pondicherry–A 3 Year Retrospective Study

Abstract

ABATRACT BACKGROUND: Injuries resulting from trauma should not only be seen exclusively as a medical condition, but also as a social and economic problem, and to tackle such social problem a thorough understanding of the patterns and site of fractures is essential. Aim and Objectives: The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence and patterns of maxillofacial fractures among cases reporting to Emergency room of a tertiary care center in Pondicherry from January 2012-December 2014 Method: Data was obtained through a 3 year retrospective review of patients admitted/ reported to emergency room of a Mahatma Gandhi Hospital and Research Institute, Pondicherry, India with maxillofacial trauma. Files with incomplete and unclear records were excluded from the present study. For each case, patient'sgender and age, pattern of facial fractures, and side involved were recorded on a data sheet. Result: Maxillofacial fractures accounted for 29.75 percent of the cases. Majority of cases(31%) belonged to 21-30 year age group. Mandible sustained 51 percent of the fractures. Isolated fractures were seen in zygomatic complex (32.5%) followed by parasymphysis (28.2%). About 45 percent of the cases reported with fractures of Middle third of the face. Left side of the face was more involved than the right side of the face. Conclusion: The epidemiological study of facial trauma makes it possible to outline the risk situations, as well as the characteristics of individuals susceptible to this type of trauma.