Long-term Morbidity of Traumatic Brain Injury Following Facial Fracture

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often underreported in patients with craniofacial trauma.
• Long-term effects of TBI associated with craniofacial trauma are not well understood.
• Existing research primarily focuses on immediate TBI identification post-trauma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and predictors of persistent traumatic brain injury symptoms in adult patients with facial fractures.
• To evaluate the long-term morbidity associated with TBI in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort analysis of 232 adult facial fracture patients (February 2022 - February 2023).
• Data collected included demographics, injury mechanism, fracture patterns, Glasgow Coma Score, and concomitant injuries.
• Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire used for TBI symptom evaluation at follow-up (mean 11.6 months).

Main Results:

• 32.9% of patients experienced TBI symptoms at follow-up.
• Operative intervention for facial fractures was associated with significantly higher rates of TBI symptoms (47.1% vs. 22.9%, P=0.02).
• Operative intervention was the sole significant predictor of TBI symptoms at follow-up (OR=6.268, P=0.021).

Conclusions:

• Craniofacial trauma is linked to persistent TBI symptoms.
• Surgeons should actively screen for TBI in patients with craniofacial trauma.
• Early identification and referral are crucial for managing TBI in this cohort.