Craniofacial traumas: immediate and delayed treatment.
In 1998, 28 patients with craniofacial fractures have been under observation at the Emergency Room of the Policlinico Umberto I of Rome. Twenty-six patients have undergone reduction and contention surgery of the fractures. The diagnosis of the fractures has been achieved through CT axial scanning and coronal reconstruction as well as with three-dimensional CT. The CT spiral was used in those cases that required more rapid intervention, whereas the MRI was used to evaluate the condition of the eyeball. Twenty of such patients underwent surgical treatment a few hours after the trauma and, in such cases, excellent aesthetic and functional results were achieved. The general and neurological conditions of six patients did not permit prematurely proceeding with surgery. Two patients died a few hours after the trauma of the injuries sustained. Of the six patients who underwent delayed treatment, acceptable functional and aesthetic results were achieved in four, whereas the remaining two patients had inadequate results. The results we have obtained show that it is possible to achieve the best results, both aesthetic and functional, through immediate treatment. Delayed treatment is carried out at least 2 weeks after the trauma because of the patient's condition and presents reconstruction difficulties that do not guarantee a satisfactory aesthetic reconstruction as well as, in some cases, an effective functional restoration.
Becelli
R
R
Maxillo-Facial Department, University of Rome La Sapienza, Viale Regina Elena 287/a, Rome, Italy.
Renzi
G
G
Perugini
M
M
Iannetti
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004954:Esthetics; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005592:Fracture Fixation; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000293:injuries; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000601:surgery