Maxillofacial Fracture at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM): A Five Year Retrospective Study

摘要

Introduction: Researchers worldwide reported different patterns of maxillofacial fractures. The differences in patterns of maxillofacial fractures among studies showed that the aetiology depends on cultural, social and economic backgrounds. Developed countries especially in Europe showed that the fights and assaults were the main cause of maxillofacial fractures, followed by motor vehicle accident (MVA). Previous studies had shown that in the developing countries, MVA remains the main cause of maxillofacial fractures. The objective of this study was to determine the demographic data as well as distribution sites, causes and time of occurrence, of patients with maxillofacial fractures in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM).Material and Methods: Between 2007 and 2011, 447 patients seen in HUSM had sustained maxillofacial fractures, where 87.5% were males and 12.5% females. Most of the patients (37.4%) were in the second decade of life and predominantly males, giving a male to female ratio of 6:1.Results: MVA was the main cause of maxillofacial fractures (85%), followed by falls (5%), fights and assaults (4%), sports related injuries (3%), industrial accidents (2%) and others (1%). Zygomatic bone was the most frequent site of fracture in the maxilla while in the mandible the parasymphysis region was the most common (29.7%). MVA, being the main cause of maxillofacial fractures in Kelantan, Malaysia, not only contributes to high mortality and morbidity among Malaysian road users, but incurred high amount of medical expenses.Conclusion: Therefore, it is necessary to reinforce legislation aimed to prevent road traffic accident and the total enforcement of existing laws to reduce maxillofacial fractures in MVA.