title: A 3-year survey of assault-related maxillofacial fractures in central Switzerland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyse the character of assault-related facial fractures in central Switzerland and to compare their prevalence with the data presented in similar reports from other countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study comprised 65 patients with assault-related maxillofacial fractures treated in the Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital of Bern between 2000 and 2002.
  
  
  METHODS
  The mechanism, the causes of the injuries and the location of the fractures were analysed by reviewing emergency and hospital records. Concomitant injuries were also studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 33 years with the largest group being below 25 years. The male-to-female ratio was 56:9. The most common causes of assault-related injuries were fights, most frequently facial blows, accounting for 92.5% of all patients. Seventy-six per cent of the fractures occurred in the middle and upper facial skeleton with a predominance of 2:1 for the left side. In 39 patients (60%) surgery was necessary, with a mean hospital stay of 3.3 days. Thirty-five patients (54%) had concomitant injuries. Alcohol and drug abuse was found in 15 patients (23%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It seems that mostly young men suffer assault-related maxillofacial injuries. A contributing factor to the increased disposition for violence could be alcohol and drug abuse. Therefore, national prevention programmes for alcohol or drug abuse and addiction might have a positive effect on reducing the incidence of assault-related maxillofacial injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. nicole.eggensperger@insel.ch
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eggensperger
authors.forename: Koord
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smolka
authors.forename: Benedict
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scheidegger
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Tateyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iizuka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012744:Sex Ratio; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*