Maxillofacial injury: a retrospective analysis of time lapse between injury and treatment in a South African academic maxillofacial and oral surgery unit.

Background: The study was undertaken in an academic maxillofacial and oral surgical unit in a large quaternary hospital attached to the Medical School of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, between 2002 and 2006.
Objective: To investigate the number of days in seven patient management intervals from facial fracture occurrence to discharge from hospital, to gain insight into reasons for treatment delays.
Results: Facial fractures were treated a mean of 20.4 days from occurrence. There was a mean of 10.3 days from fracture to hospital presentation, and an identical period from hospital presentation to treatment. Statistical analysis showed that delay times decreased from 2002 to 2006.
Conclusion: More rapid referral to the maxillofacial and oral surgical unit is the most practical way to reduce delays further.