Risk Factors for Cervical Spine Injury in Patients With Mandibular Fractures

Abstract

It was with great interest that we read the article “Risk Factors for Cervical Spine Injury in Patients With Mandibular Fractures” by Färkkilä et al 1 Färkkilä E.M. Peacock Z.S. Tannyhill R.J. et al. Risk factors for cervical spine injury in patients with mandibular fractures. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2019; 77: 109 Google Scholar published in the January 2019 issue of the Journal. The article described, in a very well-organized and didactic structure, a retrospective observational study of adult patients with trauma and mandibular fractures from June 1, 2007 to June 30, 2017 through the Massachusetts General Hospital registry. The primary aim of the study was to identify correlations between the site of mandibular fractures and the occurrence of cervical spine injuries (CSIs). Furthermore, risk factors for CSIs in those patients were considered based on demographic characteristics, presence of other fractures, severity of trauma, and etiology. We acknowledge the importance of consistent observational studies on patients with trauma, with particular interest in correlated systemic injuries, which was thoroughly accomplished in this study. The article followed the STROBE guidelines 2 von Elm E. Altman D.G. Egger M. et al. STROBE initiativeThe Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies. Int J Surg. 2014; 12: 1495 Google Scholar unremarkably, clearly presented patient data, and presented reasonable conclusions to help clinicians manage the defined group of patients. In our opinion, the most enriching part of the study was the discussion; the authors suggested interesting hypotheses concerning the association of CSIs with mandibular and facial fractures and limitations of the study. Letters to the Editor must be in reference to a specific article or editorial that has been published by the Journal. Letters must be submitted within 6 weeks of the article's print publication or, for an online-only article, within 8 weeks of the date it first appeared online. Letters must be submitted electronically via the Elsevier Editorial System at http://ees.elsevier.com/joms. Letters are subject to editing and those exceeding 500 words may be shortened or not accepted due to length. One photograph may accompany the letter if it is essential to understanding the subject. Letters should not duplicate similar material or material published elsewhere. There is no guarantee that any letter will be published. Prepublication proofs will not be provided. Submitting a Letter to the Editor constitutes the author's permission for its publication in any issue or edition of the journal, in any form or medium. Letters to the Editor must be in reference to a specific article or editorial that has been published by the Journal. Letters must be submitted within 6 weeks of the article's print publication or, for an online-only article, within 8 weeks of the date it first appeared online. Letters must be submitted electronically via the Elsevier Editorial System at http://ees.elsevier.com/joms. Letters are subject to editing and those exceeding 500 words may be shortened or not accepted due to length. One photograph may accompany the letter if it is essential to understanding the subject. Letters should not duplicate similar material or material published elsewhere. There is no guarantee that any letter will be published. Prepublication proofs will not be provided. Submitting a Letter to the Editor constitutes the author's permission for its publication in any issue or edition of the journal, in any form or medium. Risk Factors for Cervical Spine Injury in Patients With Mandibular FracturesJournal of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeryVol. 77Issue 6PreviewWe thank our colleagues Drs Bernardo Ferreira Brasileiro and Luiz Carlos Ferreira da Silva for their laudatory comments and review of our study, “Risk Factors for Cervical Spine Injury in Patients With Mandibular Fractures,” published in January 2019.1 They had no substantive differences with our data collection, analysis, and conclusions and we appreciate their comments on the quality and value of this work. However, they were concerned with our classification of this as a retrospective cohort study. Full-Text PDF