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Maxillofacial trauma in children: Association between age and mandibular fracture site
Chelsea N Cleveland1, Andrew Kelly1, Jason DeGiovanni2
1Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, United States.
Insights
Facial fractures in children are more common in older males and increase with age. The mandible is the most frequently fractured facial bone, with fracture location varying by age group.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatology
- Craniofacial Surgery
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Facial fractures are common injuries in children.
- Understanding age-related patterns is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between patient age and the location of facial fractures in the pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of the 2016 Kids' Inpatient Database (KID).
- Utilized International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes for fracture identification.
- Employed logistic regression to analyze demographic factors and fracture types.
Main Results:
- Identified 5568 pediatric patients with facial fractures; 68.2% were male, mean age 12.86 years.
- Mandibular fractures (36.9%) were most common, followed by maxillary (30.9%).
- Condylar fractures occurred in younger children, while angle fractures were more prevalent in teenagers; age significantly predicted mandibular fractures.
Conclusions:
- Facial fracture incidence rises with age in children.
- The mandible is the most frequently fractured facial bone.
- Fracture location within the mandible demonstrates a distinct age-related pattern.
Purpose:
To describe the association between age and location of facial fractures in the pediatric population.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) from the 2016 Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) in children aged ≤18 years was conducted. International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes were used to extract facial fracture diagnoses. Logistic regression was used to evaluate and compare the contribution of various demographic factors among patients who had different types of facial fractures.
Results:
A total of 5568 admitted patients were identified who sustained any type of facial bone fracture. Patients who had facial fractures were significantly more likely to be male (68.2% versus 31.8%; p<0.001) and were older with a mean age of 12.86 years (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.72-12.99). Approximately one-third of patients with a facial fracture had a concomitant skull base or vault fracture. Maxillary fractures were seen in 30.9% of the cohort while mandibular fractures occurred in 36.9% of patients. The most common mandibular fracture site was the symphysis (N=574, 27.9% of all mandibular fractures). Condylar fractures were more common in younger children while angle fractures were more common in teenagers. Regression analysis found that age was the only significant contributor to the presence of a mandibular fracture (β=0.027, p<0.001) and race was the only significant contributor to maxillary fractures (β=-0.090, p<0.001).
Conclusions:
Facial fractures increase in frequency with increasing age in children. The mandible was the most commonly fractured facial bone, with an age-related pattern in fracture location.
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