Aim: The aim of this retrospective study was to record the number and demographics of
patients presenting with maxillofacial fractures at the Garankuwa Hospital, University of
Limpopo, Medunsa Campus. In addition, the nature of these injuries and the aetiological
factors involved were recorded and analysed.
Materials and methods: The approach to this study was collection of data from records
of patients who were treated at the Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery Department for
injuries (fractures) to facial bones. All the records for the period January 2002 to
December 2005 were analysed.
Results: For the period (2002-2005) under review 4000 patient files were retrieved and
analysed. These consisted of 1755 (43,88%) patients with mandibular or middle or upper
third cranio-facial fractures who were included in this study and 2245 (56,13%) patients
who had been treated as in or out patients for other oral and maxillo-facial procedures or
pathology, who were excluded. The 1755 patients consisted of 232 (13.22%) females
and 1519 (86.55%) males giving a male to female ratio of 6.55:1. Seventy percent of all
the patients were in the age group 20-39 years with a peak frequency in the 3rd decade.
The minimum age was two years and the maximum age was 88 years. A total
of 2427 fractures were recorded. Of these 2077 (85.58%) occurred in the mandible
where the most common sites were the angle (28.97%), the parasymphisis (17.43%) and
the body (14.75%). Nearly 80% of the fractures were caused by personal
assaults, 14.87% by motor vehicle accidents, 2.34% by gunshot wounds and 3.93 % by
falls.
Conclusion: In conclusion this study has shown that in a South African population being
studied, the leading cause of fractures to the maxillofacial skeleton were interpersonal
violence (assaults and gunshots) followed by motor vehicle accidents.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/7315 |
| Date | 23 September 2009 |
| Creators | Singh, Avin Sunker |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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