title: Traumatology of the facial skeleton in octogenarian patients: a retrospective analysis of 96 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the frequency and distribution of maxillofacial trauma patients over 80 years, with regard to type and environment of accidents as well as treatment and complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 94 patients (96 cases; aged 80-94 years) with maxillofacial fractures were retrospectively analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data of 30 male and 64 female patients with an average age of 85 years were analysed. In 90% of the study population, the cause of fractures was a fall, followed by traffic accidents (9%) and assault (1%). Seventy-two patients had fractures of the midface, 10 had factures of the mandible, 9 had fractures of both the midface and mandible and 5 had fractures of the neurocranium and midface. Surgical intervention was required in 57% of the patients. Post-operative complications were: four cases of diplopia, two cases of infected plates, four cases of lower eyelid ectropion and in one case a retrobulbar haematoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facial trauma in the elderly can often be treated conservatively unless the patient complains of functional problems. Due to co-morbidities, special attention should be paid to hypertension, anticoagulant agents and the surgical approach.
authors: Dept. of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Hightech Research Center of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: isabelle.berg@usb.ch.
authors: B-I
authors: BI
authors: Berg
authors: Dept. of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Hightech Research Center of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Juergens
authors: Krankenhaus Reinbek, Dept. of Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. T. Strate), Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Soerensen
authors: Dept. of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Hightech Research Center of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Savic
authors: Dept. of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Hightech Research Center of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: H-F
authors: HF
authors: Zeilhofer
authors: Dept. of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Hightech Research Center of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (Head: Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-F. Zeilhofer), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Schwenzer-Zimmerer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004172:Diplopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004483:Ectropion / Q000453:epidemiology; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006406:Hematoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000293:injuries; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D019315:Retrobulbar Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Elderly; Management; Maxillofacial; Trauma; Treatment