Characteristics of Alcohol-Related Facial Fractures

Excessive indulgence in alcohol is a key causative factor in facial fractures especially in settings of interpersonal violence (IPV) and motor vehicle accidents. This study aims to explore characteristics of alcohol-involved facial fractures in the state of Victoria, Australia, over a 10-year period.

This retrospective study analyzed data from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset between 2004 and 2014; the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset is a standardized database reported by all Victorian hospitals for every admission. Admission details included patient age group and gender, fracture site (or sites), injury cause, and surgical management.

During the study period, 4,293 patients were treated for alcohol-related facial fractures, 27% of whom were in the 20- to 29-year-old age group. The male-to-female ratio was 7:1. There was a rising trend over most of the study period. Of the patients, 36% had multiple facial bone fractures, followed by nasal and midface fractures (22% and 6%, respectively). IPV was the most frequent cause (38%), followed by falls and transport-related injuries (30% and 18%, respectively). Surgery was required in 16% of patients, and 62% were inpatients for 1 to 3 days. Concomitant fractures were frequently reported; 20% of patients had fractures of another site, 12% had skull fractures, and 4% had cervical spine fractures. There were statistically significant relationships between age group and gender, between gender and fracture site, and between fracture site and need for surgery (P < .05).

This study reports a high incidence of alcohol-involved facial fractures in young men with IPV being a predominant cause. Such injuries often involve multiple facial bone fractures and severe concomitant trauma necessitating brief hospitalizations, but a high proportion of patients were treated nonsurgically.