title: Changes in the characteristics of facial fractures in children and adolescents in Portugal 1993-2012.
abstract: We investigated the changes in the characteristics of facial fractures in children and adolescents during a 20-year period in Portugal to try to find out how to prevent such fractures in future. We reviewed the clinical records of patients aged 0-18 years old who had facial fractures treated at the Department of Plastic Surgery, São João Hospital, Porto, during the 20-year period 1993-2012. The patients were divided into two 10-year periods: January 1993 to December 2002, and January 2003 to December 2012, and these were compared and analysed. A total of 1416 patients with 2071 fractures were diagnosed. There was a significant reduction (p<0.001) in the number of patients treated during the two decades. In both groups the number of patients increased with increasing age (p<0.001), and there was a male preponderance in all age groups. Motor vehicle collisions were the main cause of the fractures, and the mandible was the most common site (49.7%). Other injuries were recorded in 1015 patients (71.7%), and the head and neck was the most common site in both decades. Facial fractures in children are usually associated with severe trauma, and their characteristics can be influenced by social and economic factors. Although the number of children injured has decreased significantly during the last decade, facial fractures remain common in Portugal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Reconstructive, Aesthetic, Maxillofacial Surgery and Burn Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto Medical School, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4202-451 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: pedroferreira.plas@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Education, Porto Medical School, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4202-451 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joselina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Reconstructive, Aesthetic, Maxillofacial Surgery and Burn Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto Medical School, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4202-451 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Amarante
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Reconstructive, Aesthetic, Maxillofacial Surgery and Burn Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto Medical School, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4202-451 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Insua-Pereira
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Education, Porto Medical School, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4202-451 Porto, Portugal; Department of Surgery, Centro Hospitalar do Tâmega e Sousa, Lugar do Tapadinho, Guilhufe, 4564-007 Penafiel, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Reconstructive, Aesthetic, Maxillofacial Surgery and Burn Unit, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto Medical School, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4202-451 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D009049:Motorcycles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009917:Orbital Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015051:Zygomatic Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Changing patterns; Pediatric facial fractures