Maxillofacial Fractures in Makka City in Saudi Arabia; an 8-year Review of Practice

Abstract

Objective: to review the practice of maxillofacial trauma surgery in Makka city, Saudi Arabia, as road traffic accidents is considered a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the kingdom. Materials and methods: a chart review of all the maxillofacial trauma cases that visited the major hospital in the city, Alnoor specialist hospital (NSH), from October 2005 to October 2013 was collected. A total of 1132 patients’ records were retrieved. Amongst, 965 maxillofacial injuries were included in the study as completed information was found. Charts of incomplete records, soft tissue injuries only, or solitary dental injury were excluded. Then, pertinent information such as age, gender, residence status, and fracture pattern were extracted, tabulated, and correlated. Results: it was presented that males were affected four times more than females (ratio of 4.4:1), of an age ranged from 3 years old to 97 with a mean of 51 years old, and patients of 1 to 16 years old counting 135 cases (11.9%), while the age between 17 – 45 years counting 856 (75.7%), and the age 46 – 97 counting 139 (12.3%). The majority of injuries was involving the lower facial third (mandible) by 523 cases (54.19%), then the middle third that include Zygomatic maxillary complex (ZMC) by 399 cases (41.3%; p=0.006), orbital floor by 25 cases (2.5%), and upper third (nasal, ethmoid, orbital, and frontal bar) fractures of 18 cases (1.8%). The ratio of Saudi patients to non Saudi was found to be 1.89:1. Conclusion: The maxillofacial injuries in Makka city are mainly affecting male patients aged between 17-45 years old with the mandible and middle face fractures being most commonly injured respectively.