title: Maxillofacial injuries in severely injured patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A significant proportion of patients admitted to hospital with multiple traumas exhibit facial injuries. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence and cause of facial injuries in severely injured patients and to examine the role of plastic and maxillofacial surgeons in treatment of this patient collective.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 67 patients, who were assigned to our trauma room with maxillofacial injuries between January 2009 and December 2010, were enrolled in the present study and evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the patients were male (82 %) with a mean age of 44 years. The predominant mechanism of injury was fall from lower levels (<5 m) and occurred in 25 (37 %) cases. The median ISS was 25, with intracranial bleeding found as the most common concomitant injury in 48 cases (72 %). Thirty-one patients (46 %) required interdisciplinary management in the trauma room; maxillofacial surgeons were involved in 27 cases. A total of 35 (52 %) patients were treated surgically, 7 in emergency surgery, thereof.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maxillofacial injuries are often associated with a risk of other serious concomitant injuries, in particular traumatic brain injuries. Even though emergency operations are only necessary in rare cases, diagnosis and treatment of such concomitant injuries have the potential to be overlooked or delayed in severely injured patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Max J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Scheyerer
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Döring
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.affiliation: Division of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Metzler
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sprengel
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Clement M L
authors.initials: CML
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Simmen
authors.affiliation: Division of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grätz
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Guido A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Wanner
keywords: Head injury; Maxillofacial injury; Trauma