A retrospective study of maxillofacial trauma causes in Pasto, Colombia from 2001 to 2006

摘要

align="justify">Introduction: Maxillofacial injuries are a frequent condition in different countries; however, they are associated to different causes. Methodology: A descriptive study was performed from January 2001 to December 2006 at three hospitals and one institution from Pasto, Nariño, Colombia. 701 consecutive patients at "Hospital Los Angeles", "Hospital San Pedro", "Hospital Universitario Departamental de Nariño" and "Instituto de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses Seccional Nariño - Putumayo" were evaluated. Variables such as year, gender, age, anatomical distribution of fractures were included. Descriptive analyses were used to determine percentages and confidence interval values. Results: The most common causes were violence, which accounted for 350 (49.9%). Motorcycle accidents in 104 (14.8%), car crashes in 93 (13.3 %), and falls in 66 (9.4%) cases. There was a substantial increase of violence as a cause in 2003 to 2004. 0 to 6 year-old children were related to falls, whilst 15 to 24 year-old youngsters were related to violence, as well as motorcycle and car accidents. Violence led to nasal fractures, falls to nasal-orbital-ethmoid injuries, and motorcycle and car accidents to politraumatism and panfacial fractures. Conclusions: Since violence, motorcycle, and car accidents were the major causes of maxillofacial injuries in youth, the public policies should be addressed to that Salud UIS 2009; 41: 142-148