Maxillofacial trauma following road accidents-An 11-year multi-center study in Israel

Background Road traffic collisions (RTC) are known to be one of the major causes of maxillofacial trauma (MFT). The road user factor is of crucial importance in the prevalence, severity and treatment of the maxillofacial injuries. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of maxillofacial trauma among road users as well as to illustrate injury patterns and identify road users at high risk. Methods This historical prospective multi-center study was based on Israel's Trauma Registry between 2008-2018, which included 4,829 hospitalized patients following RTC with MFT. Data were analyzed according to six road user types (vehicle driver, passenger, bicyclist, motorcyclist, pedestrian and e-bike/scooter), maxillofacial injury location and maxillofacial treatment. Results MFT, which accounts for 5% of the hospitalized RTC injuries, was not equally distributed among road users, as bicyclists and e-bike/scooters were more prone to maxillofacial trauma (7.2% and 10.1%, respectively) than vehicle drivers (3.2%). Children (age 0-14 years) comprised almost half of the cyclists, 25% of the pedestrians and 20% of the passengers. Some MFT patients experienced multiple injuries, with the majority involving jaw and facial bones and to a lesser extent the mouth, teeth, gingiva and alveolar bone (mouth and dento-alveolar (DA) trauma). Approximately 30% of hospitalized road casualties with MFT underwent MF surgery, with the need for surgery lowest among pedestrians. Conclusion Hospitalized road casualties had different types of MFT in terms of prevalence, location, severity and treatment, depending on the road user type. Appropriate preventive measures and the proper use of restraints are recommended to reduce maxillofacial injuries.