title: Soccer-related facial fractures: postoperative management with facial protective shields.
abstract: Facial fractures are one of the most common orofacial injury sustained during participation in sporting events.The frequency of maxillofacial lesions varies according to the popularity that each sport has in a particular country. Soccer is the most popular sport in Italy, and it is responsible for a large number of facial traumas.Traumas and fractures in soccer mainly involve the zygomatic and nasal regions and are especially caused by direct contact that takes place mainly when the ball is played with the forehead. In particular, elbow-head and head-head impacts are the most frequent dangerous contacts.Soccer is not a violent sport, and the use of protective helmets is not allowed because it could be dangerous especially when players play the ball with the head. The use of protective facial shields are exclusively permitted to preserve players who underwent surgery for facial fractures.The use of a facial protection mask after a facial fracture treatment has already been reported. This article describes a clinical experience of management of 4 soccer-related facial fractures by means of fabrication of individual facial protective shields.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery and Dentistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. pasqualeprocacci@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Procacci
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Giordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bettini
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bissolotti
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trevisiol
authors.forename: Pier Francesco
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Nocini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004867:Equipment Design; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000293:injuries; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D010797:Phthalimides; D011108:Polymers; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011482:Protective Devices; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery*; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D055815:Young Adult; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C039578:Kevlar Aramid fibers; D010797:Phthalimides; D011108:Polymers; C047750:terephthalamidine; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate