title: Etiology and injury patterns of maxillofacial fractures from the years 2010 to 2013 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany: A retrospective study of 409 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to illustrate the injury patterns and the etiology of accident victims with maxillofacial fractures in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (M-P), Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2010 and 2013, patients with maxillofacial fractures from the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Helios Kliniken Schwerin, were evaluated with a specially constructed data set in a retrospective analysis. After review of the patient records, a case-related data collection was performed with the pre-set characteristics: age, gender, age group, maxillofacial fracture, and cause of injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 409 patients, 79% (n = 323) were male and 21% (n = 86) were female. A fracture of the zygomaticomaxillary complex was most frequently observed (31%; n = 240). Midface fractures with orbital floor involvement were the most common fracture types (48.4%; n = 137). A significant percentage of the fractures (45.2%; n = 185) were caused by interpersonal violence; 70.8% (n = 131), and thus the majority of the patients who were treated due to a brutal offense, had consumed alcohol. Within this group, men in the age group of 20-29 years were most prevalent (38.7%; n = 125). Etiologically, 25.2% (n = 103) of fractures were caused by a fall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The regionalization of data on the distribution, emergence, and localization of maxillofacial fractures in M-P allows not only a national comparison but also an international comparison with areas that are in a similar strong socio-demographic change, as it applies to the East German population. This provides the opportunity to develop the global preventive measures and to apply suitable quality management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, HELIOS Kliniken Schwerin, Schwerin, Germany. Electronic address: daniel_schneider2@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center of Rostock, Rostock, Germany. Electronic address: peer.kaemmerer@med.uni-rostock.de.
authors.forename: Peer W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Kämmerer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: g.schoen@uke.uni-hamburg.de.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schön
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital Oldenburg gGmbH, Oldenburg, Germany. Electronic address: dinuchristian@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dinu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center of Rostock, Rostock, Germany; Maxillo-facial Surgery Partnership Dr. Tödtmann & Dr. Herzog, Rostock, Germany. Electronic address: sarahradloff@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Radloff
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, HELIOS Kliniken Schwerin, Schwerin, Germany. Electronic address: reinhard.bschorer@helios-kliniken.de.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bschorer
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008440:Maxillary Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008446:Maxillofacial Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidemiological investigations; Etiology; Maxillofacial fracture; Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Germany); Retrospective study; Trauma