Bear maul injuries in maxillofacial region: our experience

Injuries due to bear mauling are rarely reported in the literature. Bears are strong and agile wild animals, potentially dangerous, unpredictable and can inflict serious injuries. Mammalian attack injuries have a special place in traumatology because of their high complication rate when compared with similar soft tissue wounds otherwise caused. Bites from attacking animals may lead to local infection, and wounds that are potentially contaminated with a variety of pathogens. The excellent blood supply of the face makes infection a rare occurrence, however, the injury may cause sufficient disfigurement to require extensive reconstruction. Treatment of mammalian bite wounds must address both the management of soft tissue deformities and then prevention of post treatment infection. Although generally considered to be dirty or contaminated they could be successfully treated by surgical cleansing and primary suture with a favourable outcome. The bony injuries also have to be addressed. Management of such injuries often need multidisciplinary approach and multiple secondary surgeries to treat the secondary defects.