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Predictors of Loss to Follow-Up After Operative Facial Trauma.
Aileen Z Cui1, Sabrina S Goyal2, Adaora A Okigbo1
1School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
The Laryngoscope
|December 26, 2025
Summary
Missed postoperative appointments after facial trauma surgery are linked to patient demographics and clinical factors. Scheduling follow-up before discharge may improve attendance for operative facial trauma care.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Facial Trauma Surgery
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Postoperative follow-up is crucial for managing operative facial trauma.
- Patient non-compliance with initial postoperative appointments remains a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with missed initial postoperative appointments following operative facial trauma.
- To inform strategies for improving patient adherence to follow-up care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case-control study of 196 patients undergoing operative facial trauma intervention.
- Data collected included sociodemographic, clinical, and operative details.
- Statistical analysis using STATA to determine factors associated with missed appointments.
Main Results:
- 15.3% of patients missed their initial postoperative appointment.
- Factors associated with missed appointments included African American race, lack of private insurance, higher Area Deprivation Index, inpatient surgery, and discharge to a non-home location.
- Isolated nasal trauma and having a follow-up appointment scheduled at discharge were protective factors.
Conclusions:
- Missed follow-up after operative facial trauma is multifactorial, involving patient and clinical elements.
- Proactively scheduling postoperative appointments before discharge may enhance outpatient follow-up rates.
