Craniomaxillofacial trauma in children: a review of 3,385 cases with 6,060 injuries in 10 years.

PURPOSE

Trauma is the leading cause of diseases and death in children. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of the main causes of accidents among children resulting in pediatric craniomaxillofacial trauma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 1991 and 2000, data for 3,385 patients younger than 15 years of age who sustained a total of 6,060 craniomaxillofacial injuries were recorded for cause of injury, age and gender distribution, frequency and type of injury, injury mechanisms, localization and frequency of soft tissue injuries, dentoalveolar trauma, facial bone fractures, and concomitant injuries. Univariate statistical analyses were followed by logistic regression analyses for the 3 injury types to determine the impact of the main injury causes on the type of injury at different ages in pediatric facial trauma patients.

RESULTS

Play (58.2%), sport (31.8%), and traffic accidents (5%), acts of violence (3.9%), and other causes (1.1%) were noted. A total of 389 patients (11.5%) had 615 fractures, 2,582 patients (76.3%) had 3,384 dentoalveolar injuries, and 1,697 patients (50.1%) had 2,061 soft tissue injuries. The girl-to-boy ratio was 3:5, and the mean age was 7 +/- 4.4 years. For children sustaining facial trauma, logistic regression analyses revealed increased risks for fractures (+238%) and soft tissue lesions (+89%) in children involved in traffic accidents. Dental trauma was more frequent (>+38%) in both sport and play accidents (all P <.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study dissected the distinct impact of injury mechanisms in pediatric craniomaxillofacial trauma. Logistic regression analyses revealed statistically highly significant outcome differences in pediatric facial trauma depending on the injury mechanism.