Surgical treatment of facial dog bite injuries in children

Abstract

Although today most injuries of face and head are the result of car and motorcycle accidents, dog bites are a frequent cause of facial injuries in children. In recent years, general guidelines have been established concerning the surgical treatment of facial dog bite injuries in children. We have seen 16 children with such lesions at our hospital in the last 4 years. All children have been treated surgically, under general anaesthesia, by primary closure of the wound with interrupted sutures after having adapted the margins by subcutaneous sutures. In addition, all children have been evaluated 3 months-5 years after the accidents in order to objectify the results of our treatment. Special attention has been attached to the functional and aesthetic outcome. In all cases, we saw good-to-excellent results. Based on this experience we suggest a clinical classification of these injuries in regard to a special therapeutic regime for each stage. In this way, guidelines may be established for the surgeon dealing with these injuries.