Management of maxillofacial injuries in the Iran-Iraq War.
OBJECTIVE
This study discusses types of maxillofacial injury, their treatment, and complications encountered in the Iran-Iraq war.


METHODS
During 1981 to 1986, 210 casualties were treated with 250 operations in Mostafa-Khomeini hospital in Tehran. Their records were analyzed retrospectively. The operations were mostly reconstructive and consisted of methods adopted because of available instruments of that time.


RESULTS
Mandibular defects were the most prominent kind of injury (43.2%), and approximately two thirds of them needed tracheostomy. Ophthalmic injuries represented 20% of midfacial injuries. Osteomyelitis was a common complication of primary phases of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The inability to evacuate and promptly treat patients with gunshot wounds can result in complications, especially infections, that make the later phases of treatment difficult.
Akhlaghi
F
F
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Taleghani Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Aframian-Farnad
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D015807:Eye Injuries, Penetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D007493:Iraq; D008297:Male; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014857:Warfare; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*