Spectrum of oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures in Kano, Nigeria.

The goal of the maxillofacial surgeon is to correct facial deformity while eradicating surgical diseases, prevent recurrence or complication and restore function. The aim of this paper is to review the surgical procedures carried out in a new tertiary teaching hospital. A retrospective study of patients with maxillofacial surgical diseases seen at the Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria, between 2001 and 2003, was conducted. A total of 87 patients had various (primary and secondary) surgical procedures during the period under review. There were 51 males and 36 females, a male to female ratio of 1:0.61 with an age range of 3 days to 90 years and a mean age of 34.5 years. The majority of the patients were in the lower socio-economic group. Reduction and immobilization of the jaw fractures (n = 21, 23.3%) was the most common, followed by transosseous wiring (n = 12, 13.3%). The most common complications were malocclusion (n = 14, 29.8%) and facial defects (n = 12, 25.5%). Reduction and immobilization, and tumour surgery of the jaws seem to be the most common surgical procedures while osteotomy was the least. Reduction and immobilization with simple arch bars appeared to be very effective, more so when the patients could not afford more modern methods of treatment. Reconstructive surgeries of ablated jaws are advocated in view of the devastating aesthetic and psychosocial effects that these have on the patients.