title: Epidemiological study of patients with facial trauma treated at the Antônio Targino Hospital - Campina Grande/Paraíba.
abstract: Information contained in the present study can better explain the type of care performed in this service, which is paramount in order to plan, organize and improve medical care here.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  the goal of the present study was to carry out a retrospective epidemiological study concerning facial trauma from August 2006 to August 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  211 charts were studied in order to collect patient data regarding the number of patients seen, gender, age, year and their origin, surgical approaches and cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the surgical cases, facial fractures were the most prevalent (73.9%). Male patients prevailed (81.5%), in the ages between 11 and 40 years from the arid Paraíba mesoregion. The most frequent causes we motorcycle accidents, making up 64.5% of the sample, and the zygomatic-orbital complex was the most affected site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most affected patients were males, and those from the Paraíba arid mesoregion were the ones who benefited the most from the service. Among the most frequent etiological factors we list: motorcycle accidents, physical fights and falls from one's own height.
authors.affiliation: FOP, UPE.
authors.forename: Josuel Raimundo
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.forename: Karis Barbosa
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Belmiro Cavalcanti do Egito
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Ricardo José de Hollanda
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Vasconcellos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005151:Facial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult