title: Pediatric facial fractures:  demographics, injury patterns, and associated injuries in 772 consecutive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pediatric craniofacial fractures are anatomically distinct from their adult counterparts and must be managed with respect for future growth and development. These injuries must be approached as entities fundamentally different from adult craniofacial fractures. Here, the authors aim to provide context for practitioners managing pediatric facial fractures by augmenting presently available demographic, diagnostic, and treatment data.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective review of demographics, diagnosis, and treatment of patients under 18 years of age presenting to the emergency department of a pediatric level I trauma center between 2000 and 2005 with facial fractures. Patients were included regardless of treating specialty, treatment modality, or inpatient status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 772 consecutive patients met inclusion criteria. A significant majority (p < 0.001) of patients (68.9 percent) were male; older children were significantly more likely to sustain a facial fracture (p < 0.001). Fracture pattern, level of care, and cause of injury varied by age; 55.6 percent of patients had severe associated injuries. Male subjects, older patients, and patients of lower socioeconomic status were significantly more likely to sustain facial fractures secondary to violence (p ≤ 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric facial fractures may be associated with severe concomitant injuries. Injury patterns are significantly correlated with socioeconomic metrics.
authors.affiliation: Pittsburgh, Pa. From the Division of Pediatric Plastic Surgery and the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
authors.forename: Lorelei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grunwaldt
authors.forename: Darren M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Noel S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zuckerbraun
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naran
authors.forename: S Alex
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rottgers
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bykowski
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kinsella
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cray
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vecchione
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Saladino
authors.forename: Joseph E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Losee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D015984:Causality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data