Tongue Blade Bite Test Predicts Mandible Fractures

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Emergency Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• Mandible fractures are common facial trauma injuries.
• Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment.
• Computed Tomography (CT) is the gold standard but can be costly and expose patients to radiation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic utility of a simple tongue blade bite test for mandible fractures.
• To assess the feasibility of using the bite test as a preliminary screening tool.
• To determine the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the bite test in predicting mandible fractures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of patients evaluated for facial trauma by Otolaryngology.
• Inclusion criteria: documented bite test and CT scan for diagnosis.
• CT scan served as the gold standard for fracture confirmation.

Main Results:

• The tongue blade bite test demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy with 88.5% sensitivity and 95.0% specificity in the overall cohort.
• Positive predictive value (PPV) was 88.5% and negative predictive value (NPV) was 95.0%.
• In pediatric patients, the test showed 100% sensitivity and 88.9% specificity, highlighting its potential in this population.

Conclusions:

• The tongue blade bite test is a quick, inexpensive, and highly sensitive/specific tool for otolaryngologists to screen for mandible fractures.
• It can serve as a valuable alternative screening method, potentially reducing the need for unnecessary CT scans.
• Further data collection is recommended to fully assess its utility in the pediatric population.