1. Maxillofacial fractures at Waikato Hospital, New Zealand: 2004 to 2013.
- Author
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Moore BK, Smit R, Colquhoun A, and Thompson WM
- Subjects
- Accidental Falls statistics & numerical data, Accidents, Traffic statistics & numerical data, Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Incidence, Infant, Male, Mandibular Fractures epidemiology, Mandibular Fractures etiology, Middle Aged, New Zealand, Orbital Fractures epidemiology, Orbital Fractures etiology, Retrospective Studies, Sex Factors, Tertiary Care Centers, Violence trends, Young Adult, Zygomatic Fractures epidemiology, Zygomatic Fractures etiology, Athletic Injuries complications, Facial Bones injuries, Skull Fractures epidemiology, Skull Fractures etiology, Violence statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Injury to the maxillofacial region continues to place a burden on hospital care in New Zealand, with maxillofacial fractures often being associated with both a significant social cost and personal morbidity. This article describes the characteristics, aetiology and treatment patterns in a tertiary maxillofacial centre in New Zealand during a 10-year period. Over the observation period, a total of 1,975 cases were treated, with a male-to-female ratio of 4:1. The highest incidence was in the 20-29-year-age group. Interpersonal violence (IPV) was the most common aetiology, observed in 54.5% overall, and more common among males than females (58% and 38% respectively; P<0.001). Falls were the most common cause of injury among older females (those aged 50+). Comparison to an earlier analysis shows that IPV-related maxillofacial trauma has increased significantly at this tertiary centre, increasing from 36.2% of cases in 1989-2000, to 54.5% in 2004-2013. There remains an urgent need for appropriate health promotion to reduce interpersonal violence, as well as an increase in the staffing numbers of maxillofacial units in New Zealand.
- Published
- 2015