title: Wire internal fixation: an obsolete, yet valuable method for surgical management of facial fractures.
abstract: In some developing countries wire is still widely used in facial fractures internal fixation. This study presents the effectiveness and complications of wire osteosynthesis in a university teaching hospital in Burkina Faso and discusses some of its other benefits and disadvantages. Notes of 227 patients with facial fractures treated by wire internal fixation at department of stomatology and maxillofacial surgery of CHU Souro Sanou, Burkina Faso between 2006 and 2010 are reviewed retrospectively. A satisfactory treatment outcome was recorded in 91.2% of the 227 patients. Complications occurred in 8.8% of the patients who had operative site infection (3.1%), malocclusion (1.8%), sensory disturbance (1.8), facial asymmetry (1.3%), delayed bone union (0.9%) or enophtalmos (0.4%). The overall complications rate was 7.4% after mandibular osteosynthesis, 6.9% after Le Fort osteosynthesis and 6.5% after zygoma osteosynthesis. Post operative infections occurred irrespective to the surgical site. The other complications were more specific to the surgical site. Wire internal fixation may be a reasonable alternative for the surgical treatment of non-comminuted facial fractures and those without bone substance loss, in the setting of limited resources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Sanou Souro, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Rasmané
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Béogo
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology and Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Lyon Sud, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bouletreau
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Yalgado Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Tarcissus
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konsem
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Sanou Souro, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Ibraïma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Traoré
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Sanou Souro, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Antoine Toua
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Coulibaly
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, CHU Yalgado Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Dieudonné
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ouédraogo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001864:Bone Wires; D002050:Burkina Faso; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Facial fracture; outcome; wire internal fixation