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Maxillofacial injuries in women
1Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Department of Plastic Surgery, Fontana, USA.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|November 25, 1998
Summary
Maxillofacial injuries in women are often caused by motor vehicle accidents and assaults. Underreported assaults, including domestic violence, highlight the need for healthcare professionals to suspect abuse in female patients with facial trauma.
Area of Science:
- Trauma surgery
- Forensic medicine
- Women's health
Background:
- Maxillofacial injuries represent a significant cause of hospital admissions.
- Limited research exists on the specific causes and patterns of facial injuries in women.
- Understanding these patterns is crucial for diagnosis and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the etiology and patterns of traumatic facial injuries in female patients.
- To identify the most common causes and affected facial structures.
- To investigate the underreporting of assaults, including domestic violence, in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of female patients admitted with traumatic facial injuries.
- Data collected from July 1, 1990, to June 30, 1992.
- Analysis of injury causes, patterns, and documentation of assault circumstances.
Main Results:
- Motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause of maxillofacial injuries.
- Assaults were the second most common etiology.
- The mandible was the most frequently fractured facial bone.
- Inadequate documentation of assault circumstances suggests potential underreporting of domestic violence.
Conclusions:
- Facial trauma in women stems primarily from accidents and assaults.
- There is a critical need to recognize the potential underreporting of assaults, particularly domestic violence.
- Healthcare providers should maintain a high index of suspicion for physical abuse in women presenting with unexplained maxillofacial injuries.