Can Frailty Indices Predict Surgical Risk in Open Reduction and Fixation of Facial Fractures?

Abstract

PURPOSE: Facial fractures, often resulting from high impact trauma, necessitate surgical fixation with postoperative complications occurring in 3-30% of patients.1 Thus, risk prediction of unfavorable postoperative complications is essential for preoperative planning and postoperative management. Existing literature has linked smoking, alcohol use, age, BMI, and comorbidities to increased risk of adverse postoperative outcomes following facial fracture repair.1 More recently, frailty indices, including the Modified Five-Item Frailty Index (mFI-5) and the Modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (mCCI), have emerged as potentially more accurate predictors of surgical risk and 30-day postsurgical complications than their historical counterparts.2,3 The authors aimed to evaluate whether the mFI-5 and mCCI are stronger predictors of 30-day postoperative complications after open facial fracture reduction, versus historic risk proxies. METHODS: A retrospective review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was performed of patients undergoing open facial fracture reduction from 2013-2019. Age, smoking, BMI, comorbidities, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class were extracted, and mFI-5 and mCCI scores were calculated using this data. Univariate logistic regressions were performed (p<0.05). RESULTS: A total of 2,667 patients were analyzed, of which 2,131 (80%) were male. Most patients were nonfrail across both indices, with 86% (n=2,292) having an mFI-5 of 0, and 75% (n=1,994) having a mCCI of 0. Both mCCl score ≥2 (OR=2.19, p<0.001) and mFI-5 =1 (OR=1.96, p<0.001) were strong independent predictors of overall 30-day complication rate and complication severity. However, ASA class ≥3 was the strongest predictor (OR=3.60, p<0.001). Age was statically significant, but a low-impact, predictor of complications and complication severity (OR= 1.02, p<0.001). The only significant predictors of surgical site infections (SSI) were smoking (OR=1.56, p=0.042) and ASA class ≥3 (OR=2.37, p=0.013). An mFI-5 of 1 was also found to be a significant predictor of hospital readmission rates (7% vs 3% p<0.001). BMI was not associated with any increased risk. CONCLUSION: The mCCI and mFI-5 are significant independent predicators of total complications and complication severity following facial fracture repair. ASA class ≥3 was the strongest predictor of postoperative complications, likely attributable to concurrent multi-organ system trauma and its global impact on risk in facial fracture injury. An mFI-5 ≥1 was additionally predictive of increased readmission rates. Smoking increased risk of surgical site infections specifically but not overall complications. Newer frailty indices (mFI-5 and mCCI) predicted adverse postsurgical events more strongly than several historic risk proxies, offering potential utility as risk predictors during surgical planning. Further research should continue to clarify their predictive value. REFERENCES: 1. Perez D, Ellis E, 3rd. Complications of Mandibular Fracture Repair and Secondary Reconstruction. Semin Plast Surg. 2020;34(4):225-231. 2. Austin SR, Wong YN, Uzzo RG, Beck JR, Egleston BL. Why Summary Comorbidity Measures Such As the Charlson Comorbidity Index and Elixhauser Score Work. Med Care. 2015;53(9):e65-72. 3. Lee CC, Hunter WP, Hajibandeh JT, Peacock ZS. Does the Modified Frailty Index (mFI-5) Predict Adverse Outcomes in Maxillofacial Fracture Repair? J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021.