Risk Factors for Infection of Sutured Maxillofacial Soft Tissue Injuries

Maxillofacial soft tissue injuries (STIs) are common and frequent in emergency departments. The aim of this study was to analyze factors causing infection of maxillofacial STIs. Patients with maxillofacial STIs who received sutures and had complete medical records were evaluated. Gender, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, diabetes mellitus, wound age, wound length, wound contamination, wound type, and sites were analyzed using univariable analysis and binary logistic regression. There were 3,276 cases included. In the univariable analysis, there was no significant difference in the infection rate between genders or between the wound age groups. In binary logistic regression, age, wound length, wound type, and physician level were risk factors for infection: age of 18-44 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-2.9), 44-64 years (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 2.3-4.3), and ≥65 years (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.7-4.1); wound length of 4-8 cm (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3-2.2) and >8 cm (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.1); intra-oral wounds (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.4) and communicating wounds (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.3-4.4); junior specialists (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2); and lip (OR, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.1-12.0) and cheek (OR, 4.7; 95% CI, 2.3-17.1) sites. Wound contamination, ASA grade, and diabetes mellitus were not significantly different from wound infection in binary regression analysis. Age (>18 years old), wound length (>4 cm), intra-oral wounds, communicating wounds, suturing by junior surgeons, and lip or cheek injuries may be risk factors for maxillofacial STI infection. Even if the penetrating wound age exceeds 24 hours, it is meaningful to suture if there is no serious infection. For wounds at high risk of infection, further measures should be considered to reduce the possibility of infection, such as improving the surgical training of junior surgeons and improving the patient's wound care.