Epidemiological analysis of maxillofacial fractures in Brazil: a 5-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of maxillofacial fractures in the Piracicaba region of Brazil during a 5-year period and to delineate comparisons with worldwide facial fracture patterns. STUDY DESIGN A descriptive statistical analysis was developed based on data collected using a specifically designed clinical survey of all patients who attended the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Piracicaba Dental School from 1999 to 2004. Information regarding age, gender, etiology, and type of maxillofacial injury and its associated lesions were evaluated. In addition, treatment modalities and complication rates during patient follow-up were assessed. RESULTS A total of 1024 patients presenting 1399 maxillofacial fractures were analyzed. Patients' ages ranged from 0 to 88 years (mean age, 28 +/- 16.4 years). The ratio of men to women was 4:1. Most fractures were caused by traffic accidents (45%), followed by assaults (22.6%), falls (17.9%), sports accidents (7.8%), and work accidents (4.5%). The prevalent anatomic regions of facial fractures (in percentages) were the mandible (44.2%), the zygomatic complex (32.5%), and the nasal bones (16.2%). Associated systemic lesions were found in 41.9% of patients, with prevalence for injuries to the upper (24.1%) and lower limbs (15.4%). Patient management was considered to be conservative in 490 patients (47.9%), and surgical therapy was performed in 493 patients (48.1%), of whom 399 (80.9%) were treated with open reduction and rigid internal fixation. Complications occurred in 76 patients (7.4%), mainly due to infection and malocclusion. CONCLUSION The findings of this study indicated that epidemiological research of maxillofacial fractures allows the presentation patterns of the most affected individuals and the nature of their lesions to be outlined according to the region evaluated. Furthermore, treatment evaluation and complication rate analysis permits a more realistic interpretation of how patients should be managed.