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Trauma of facial skeleton in children: An indian perspective
Tanweer Karim1, Arshad Hafeez Khan, Syed Saeed Ahmed
1Department of Surgery, MGM's Medical College, Navi Mumbai, India.
Insights
Pediatric facial bone fractures are uncommon but typically involve the mandible, often resulting from falls. Many younger children with these fractures can be successfully treated non-surgically due to rapid bone healing.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Orthopedics
- Traumatology
- Craniofacial Surgery
Background:
- Facial bone fractures are less common in children than adults.
- Understanding the epidemiology and management of pediatric facial fractures is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of facial bone fractures in children under 12 years old in an Indian urban setting.
- To compare findings with existing literature on pediatric facial bone fractures.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 45 children under 12 years with facial bone fractures admitted over three years.
- Literature review of pediatric facial bone fractures for comparative analysis.
Main Results:
- The majority of fractures (89%) occurred in children over 5 years, with a 2:1 male-to-female ratio.
- Falls from height accounted for 53.33% of injuries, with mandibular fractures being the most frequent.
- Symphysis and para-symphysis fractures were most common (49%); management included inter-maxillary fixation, inter-osseous wiring, mini-plates for complex fractures, and observation for undisplaced fractures.
Conclusions:
- The mandible is the most commonly fractured facial bone in children, typically due to accidental falls.
- The high osteogenic potential in pediatric mandibles supports successful non-surgical management in a significant proportion of young patients.
Aims:
Both children and adults are subject to similar types of injuries but fractures of facial bones in children are relatively uncommon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of facial bone fractures among children of <12 years, their management and outcome in an Indian city.
Material And Methods:
This retrospective study included children of <12 years of age with facial bone fractures admitted over a span of 3 years. In order to compare our results we reviewed the existing literature related to pediatric facial bone fractures.
Results:
A total of 45 children were admitted for facial bone fractures. Forty (89%) of them were above 5 years of age and male to female ratio was 2:1. About 53.33% of these injuries were because of fall from height. Mandible fracture was the most common facial bone fracture among admitted patients. Symphysis and para-symphysis was the commonest site of mandibular fractures, seen in 49% cases. Majority of these fractures were managed by Inter-maxillary fixation and inter-osseous wiring. Mini-plates were used for widely displaced compound fractures. For un-displaced fractures observation alone was sufficient.
Conclusion:
Mandible is the commonest facial bone fracture in children, more often caused by accidental fall from height. The high osteogenic potential of pediatric mandible allows non-surgical management to be successful in an increased proportion of younger patients.
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