Facial fractures in road cyclists

Despite the safety devices worn by bicycle riders and the road safety measures designed to protect them, road cycling is still associated with frequent traumas, notably to the extremities. Maxillofacial injuries are common, especially when road traffic accidents occur. There is a paucity of literature on the epidemiology of bicycle-related facial fractures in New Zealand.

A retrospective database of patients presenting to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit at Christchurch Hospital during an 11-year period was reviewed. Variables examined included demographics, types of fracture, mode of injury, and treatment delivered.

Sixty-three patients were identified as having road bicycle-related facial fractures, with no increase in prevalence over the study period. Male to female ratio was 3:1, with 76 per cent involving patients aged between their first and third decade. Fall was the most common mechanism of injury, followed by collision. Fifty-two per cent of patients were hospitalized and 40 per cent required surgical intervention. The highest incidence of injury was during January.

Road bicycle-related fractures accounted for a small proportion of the workload at our unit. They predominantly affected young male adults. More than half of the patients were hospitalized and a major proportion of these required surgery.