Are facial injuries caused by stumbling different from other kinds of fall accidents?

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate and compare the epidemiology and pattern of maxillofacial injuries caused by stumbling and other kinds of falls. We evaluated all patients with facial injuries due to stumbling or falls who presented to Besat Hospital in Hamedan, Iran, during the 2.5-year study period and analyzed the acquired data. Of 2990 patients with facial injuries who were referred to Besat Hospital during the study period, 733 (24.5%) were injured by stumbling, and 246 (8.2%) were injured by falls. The male-to-female ratios in the stumbling and falls groups were 2:1 and 1.86:1, respectively. Although the rate of soft tissue injuries was the same in both groups, the rate of bone fractures was higher in fall accidents (1.6:1). In stumbling accidents, the most common type of bone fracture was nasal fracture, followed by dentoalveolar, mandibular, and zygomatic fractures. In falls, nasal fractures were the most common type of bone fracture, followed by zygomatic, mandibular, and dentoalveolar fractures. All of the Le Fort I, II, and III fractures, nasal-orbital-ethmoid, and frontal sinus injuries occurred in fall accidents. The rate of associated injuries in falls was higher than stumbling accidents. We concluded that the incidence, age distribution, rate, and pattern of bone fractures and the frequency and type of associated injuries in stumbling accidents were significantly different from that of fall accidents. For a good program planning to prevent and manage facial injuries, we recommend separate evaluation of stumbling and fall accidents.