A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF THE MAXILLOFACIAL INJURIES IN TWO EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IN TBILISI, GEORGIA

Maxillofacial injuries are a global problem in our modern society. It can be a major cause of increased morbidity and mortality. Maxillofacial trauma can lead to scar distortion accompanied by emotional and psychological problems. The epidemiology of facial fractures varies in terms of trauma type, the extent of injury, and severity. The main aim of this research is to explore the scope, the burden, and the etiology of maxillofacial injuries in Tbilisi, Georgia. Data was retrospectively collected from two large emergency departments in Tbilisi, Georgia using a cross-sectional design. Inclusion criteria was patients admitted in hospitals during one year with diagnosis maxillofacial injury. SPSS 21 software was used for statistical analysis. Differences in categorical variables were assessed with Chi-square tests of independence. This research shows that men are still the most frequent victims of maxillofacial injuries. Out of 598 patients, whose age ranged from 1month to 87 years - 67% were males, and 33% patients were females, including both, maxillofacial trauma alone and also combined injuries. With only maxillofacial injuries, the male patients were still leading, with 51% (307) and female patients were 28% (167), these results gave us a statistically significant difference (p=0.026). The main causes of maxillofacial injuries were falls, which equaled to 63% (378 patients) from total recorded data, as in many other countries. The results of this research provide really important information about future preventive interventions in the country. It also shows us that educating the public with prevention strategies is substantial.