Risk factors for poor outcomes in adult patients with lip through-and-through wounds

Risk factors associated with infection and traumatic lacerations affecting the face are still not fully understood. This study investigated risk factors for poor outcomes in adult patients with through-and-through lip wounds who underwent debridement and suturing.

Patients with through-and-through lip wounds who underwent debridement in our emergency department between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021, were included. The effects of gender, age, wound age (time from injury to wound closure), antibiotic application, injury mechanism, diabetes, wound length, wound cleanliness, peripheral tissue damage, and postoperative wound blood scab on the poor outcome rate were assessed for all patients. Poor outcome was analyzed based on atraumatic wound dehiscence before suture removal, pus in the wound, and unhealed oral wounds with a length >1 cm or deeper than the muscle layer 5-6 days after surgery.

A total of 728 cases were included, with a poor outcome rate of 20.88 %. The univariable analysis showed that the proportion of poor outcomes was significantly associated with male gender, age (65-79 years old), bicycle/electric bicyble, antibiotic use, wound length of 4-8 cm, wound contamination, peripheral tissue damage, and scabs. Binary logistic analysis showed that the proportion of poor outcomes was significantly associated with older age (65-79 years old), wound length of 4-8 cm, peripheral tissue damage and wounds covered by scabs. In the binary logistic regression analysis, poor outcomes were not associated with gender, injury mechanism, wound contamination or the use of antibiotics.

Our findings provide valuable information on the risk factors for poor outcomes in adult patients with lip through-and-through wounds who underwent debridement and suturing.