title: Inflammatory Morbidity due to Compound Mandibular Body Fractures: Does It Have a Relationship with Treatment Outcome?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the degree of preoperative pain and trismus with the development of complications following the repair of isolated unilateral compound mandibular body fractures using a closed reduction technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a 7-year prospective study carried out at the Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. Of a total of 97 patients, 83 (85.6%) subjects (66 males, 17 females, ratio 5:1) were preoperatively evaluated for trismus and pain in a blinded manner by a single examiner, and complications were recorded postoperatively. The data obtained were statistically analyzed with EPI Info 2008 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 83 patients treated, 13 (15.7%) developed complications. The fractures were most common in the age range of 21-40 years (n = 45, 54.2%). The age (p = 0.02) and gender (p = 0.01) distribution of the subjects was significant. The more severe the limitation of mouth opening (p = 0.03) and pain (p = 0.04) before treatment, the more complications developed, and these significantly affected treatment outcome. Impaired mastication and facial asymmetry (n = 17, 41.5%) were the most common complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that posttrauma pain and trismus due to unilateral mandibular body fractures may be associated with the development of complications. An adequately powered prospective study treating patients at 5 or 7 days is required in order to make the case for later intervention.
authors: Department of Dental Surgery, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.
authors: Charles E
authors: CE
authors: Anyanechi
authors: Birch D
authors: BD
authors: Saheeb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005592:Fracture Fixation; D005597:Fractures, Open / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014313:Trismus / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult