Human Bites of the Face with Tissue Losses in Cosmopolitan Northern Nigeria

Abstract

A retrospective series of thirty-six cases of human bites to the face with tissue losses requiring reconstruction during a five-year period, January 1999 to December 2003 is presented. The unmarried female in her third decade dominated both as victim and assailant in incidences related to love affairs and love gone sour. The middle third of the lower lip was the most commonly bitten part with a majority of these presenting early. Copious larvage under broad-spectrum systemic antibiotic cover as well as antitetanus regimen allowed delayed primary repair in the first week of injury in a majority of the patients. Our reconstructive armamentarium included V-excisions and closure for lip defects, the superiorly based naso-labial flap for nasal ala defects and the retro-auricular tubed flap for helical rim and ear-lobe defects. Outcome was generally satisfactory though a longer follow-up data is desirable. Experience with hypertrophic scarring and keloid formation in our patient population continues to be a major factor in the choice of reconstructive techniques in our regional practice.

Orofacial injury by human bite: experience at a rural health centre

“…Asuku ME, et al employed superiorly based nasolabial flap for coverage of nasal ala defects while in a study by Ratnakar Sharma et al, out of 21 patients having sustained nasal injuries, paramedian forehead flap cover was employed as method of reconstruction of nasal defects in 16 cases whereas skin grafting was done in 5 patients for coverage of defects. 11,12 Lindsey D et al, in their study of incidence of infection in cases of human bite injuries recorded the potential for infective complications to be between 10-20%. 13 None of the patient had any post-operative complication in our case study.…”

Management of human bite injury of the upper and lower eyelids: a rare case report

“…The goal of the reconstructive procedure should include adequate closure, restoring the anatomical landmarks, and minimizing surgical revision and psychological trauma7. The greater is the percentage of full thickness eyelid missing, the more complex is the reconstruction.…”