Abstract

Surgical Management of Maxillofacial Injuries in Iraq

Tahrir Nazzal Aldelaimi

Background: One of the most demanding aspects of emergency medicine is the management of patients who have suffered facial trauma. Difficult circumstances such as the high number of casualties, severity of the facial wounds, coupled with the limited number of operating rooms and hospital beds, were a constant challenge to the surgeons.
Aims of Study: This study discusses types of maxillofacial injuries and their surgical managements. Materials & methods: The following study focuses on maxillofacial injuries that were treated at Maxillofacial Unit, Ramadi Teaching Hospital and Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Anbar University, Iraq. Total of (518) cases were chosen on the basis of them being only oral and maxillofacial injuries including 325 males and 193 females with age range from 8 to 75 years old. Results & conclusions: Most cases were in the age group (20-29) years, 312 (60.2%) patients were injured with missile fragments, isolated soft tissue injuries were found in 56 (10.8%) while, skeletal injuries were found in 462 (89.2%),facial nerve injuries which found in 57 (11%) patients, 119 (40%) patients had mandibular fractures were treated conservatively and 179 (60%) patients were treated by direct skeletal fixation.