title: A new approach to the treatment of nasal bone fracture: radiologic classification of nasal bone fractures and its clinical application.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A radiologic examination is required in the treatment of nasal bone fracture to determine the fracture condition. Thus, there is an increasing need for radiologic classification of nasal bone fractures that can be applied to clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Computed tomography was performed in 125 patients with nasal bone fractures to determine which axial view best showed the entire nasal view. The obtained axial view was then used as a reference for classification. The length from the top to the base of the nasal bone was divided into upper, middle, and lower levels, after which the fracture location was determined. If the fracture spanned the boundaries of these levels, it was classified as the total level. Subsequently, the fracture was subclassified based on the fracture direction and pattern and the concurrent fracture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiologic examination of patients with nasal bone fracture showed that nasal bone fracture was frequently found at the total, middle, upper, and lower levels, in that order. Nasal bone fractures at the upper level showed lower frequencies of complication and reoperation than the fractures at the other levels, whereas nasal bone fractures at the total level showed the highest frequencies of complication and reoperation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiologic classification can be useful for preoperative and postoperative evaluations of nasal bone fractures and can be helpful in understanding such fractures because it can efficiently predict the prognosis of a fracture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Kosin University Gaspel Hospital, Seo-gu, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Daniel Seung Youl
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yea Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jin Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D009300:Nasal Septum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D009667:Nose Deformities, Acquired / Q000209:etiology; D009668:Nose Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020204:Skull Fracture, Depressed / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*