The Big Bang: Facial Trauma Caused by Recreational Fireworks

In the Netherlands, it is a tradition of setting off fireworks to celebrate the turn of the year. In our medical facility, each year patients with severe skeletal maxillofacial trauma inflicted by recreational fireworks are encountered. We present two cases of patients with severe blast injury to the face, caused by direct impact of rockets, and thereby try to contribute to the limited literature on facial blast injuries, their treatment, and clinical outcome. These patients require multidisciplinary treatment, involving multiple reconstructive surgeries, and the overall recovery process is long. The severity of these traumas raises questions about the firework traditions and legislations not only in the Netherlands but also worldwide. Therefore, the authors support restrictive laws on personal use of fireworks in the Netherlands.