Facial injuries in major trauma patients in Ireland.

INTRODUCTION

Major trauma is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Facial injuries are often present in those sustaining major trauma. We sought to examine the Irish trauma registry to further assess this association.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the Irish trauma registry, the Major Trauma Audit, from 2017 to 2022 was performed. Patients over 16 years who had sustained major trauma were included in the analysis. The presence of an associated facial injury was further analysed.

RESULTS

A total of 8943 patients were included in the analysis. A facial injury was seen in 18.9 % of patients. The majority of those sustaining a concurrent facial injury were male (69 %) and the median age was 59 years. Falls <2m (42.9 %) and road traffic collisions (27.6 %) were the commonest mechanisms of injury. A significant head injury was more commonly seen in those who also sustained facial trauma (84.9 % vs 58 %).

CONCLUSION

Facial injuries are commonly seen in patients who sustain major trauma. They may also indicate the presence of a concurrent head injury.