[Facial wounds: an epidemiological review of 850 cases].

BACKGROUND

Facial wound are among the most frequent emergencies. They often affect a young population. We studied the epidemiological profile of facial wounds admitted in our hospital.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This prospective study was carried out in the Emergency Unit from June 2008 to June 2009. It included all patients having presented with at least one facial wound. The analysed parameters were patient, trauma, and wound characteristics.

RESULTS

Eight hundred and fifty patients were included, 20% of whom were female patients. The most frequent etiologies were traffic accidents for men, assault for women, and domestic accidents for children. Alcohol abuse was involved in 12.4% of the cases. The most frequent wound localization was frontal (35.4%). A craniofacial organ (eye, brain…) was affected in 6.1% of the cases; the wound was associated to a craniofacial fracture in 9.6% of the cases, and to an extrafacial lesion in 22% of the cases.

DISCUSSION: Facial wounds are a frequent emergency. They are predominant in young male patients. The high frequency of traffic accident and alcohol abuse requires an adequate prevention policy.