Facial Trauma: Difference between revisions

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It is important to be aware that a number of patients who suffer trauma to the upper regions of the face also suffer from brain injury<ref name=":0">Perry M (March 2008). "Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and facial trauma: can one size fit all? Part 1: dilemmas in the management of the multiply injured patient with coexisting facial injuries". ''International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery''. '''37''' (3): 209–14</ref>, and some have co-existing cervical spine injury<ref name=":0" />.
It is important to be aware that a number of patients who suffer trauma to the upper regions of the face also suffer from brain injury<ref name=":0">Perry M (March 2008). "Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and facial trauma: can one size fit all? Part 1: dilemmas in the management of the multiply injured patient with coexisting facial injuries". ''International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery''. '''37''' (3): 209–14</ref>, and some have co-existing cervical spine injury<ref name=":0" />.


Initial repair following serious facial trauma is performed by surgeons; fractured bones will be plated or wired, skin and soft tissue lacerations will be stitched, large areas of severe soft tissue damage may require grafting.  
Initial repair following serious facial trauma is performed by surgeons; fractured bones will be plated or wired, skin and soft tissue lacerations will be stitched, large areas of severe soft tissue damage may require grafting<ref>James D. Kretlow, Aisha J. McKnight, Shayan A. Izaddoost.
 
"Facial Soft Tissue Trauma"
 
Semin Plast Surg. 2010 Nov; 24(4): 348–356
</ref>.  


The physiotherapy rehabilitation of these patients is thus largely post operative rehabilitation.
The physiotherapy rehabilitation of these patients is thus largely post operative rehabilitation.

Revision as of 20:26, 11 October 2020

Introduction[edit | edit source]

Trauma to the face and head can be caused by a number of events: explosions, gunshot, road traffic accidents, falling masonry, flying glass, etc.

There can be bony damage - fractures in any of the bones of the head and face, but particularly common in the mandible and nose - and also soft tissue injury. CT scanning is essential as this shows fractures of facial bones more reliably than plain X-ray, and also shows soft tissue injury[1]. Facial and head trauma can also cause damage to the Facial Nerve or the Trigeminal Nerve.

It is important to be aware that a number of patients who suffer trauma to the upper regions of the face also suffer from brain injury[2], and some have co-existing cervical spine injury[2].

Initial repair following serious facial trauma is performed by surgeons; fractured bones will be plated or wired, skin and soft tissue lacerations will be stitched, large areas of severe soft tissue damage may require grafting[3].

The physiotherapy rehabilitation of these patients is thus largely post operative rehabilitation.

Initial Stages[edit | edit source]

The face has a very rich blood supply, so healing is usually rapid.

Soft Tissue Injury[edit | edit source]

In areas of thin skin (eg. the eyelids) sutures can normally be removed after just 3-4 days, and elsewhere on the face they are often removed after 6 days[4]. Sutures in cartilage, for example the ear or the nose, are often left in situ for 10-14 days.

Bony Injury[edit | edit source]

Surgical repair is often required for bony injury, which may involve wiring or plating, or more substantial surgical techniques to rebuild the damaged bone, such as bone grafting.[2]

Later Stages[edit | edit source]

Resources[edit | edit source]

  • bulleted list
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or

  1. numbered list
  2. x

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Jordan JR, Calhoun KH (2006). "Management of soft tissue trauma and auricular trauma". In Bailey BJ, Johnson JT, Newlands SD, et al. (eds.). Head & Neck Surgery: Otolaryngology. Hagerstwon, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. pp. 935–36.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Perry M (March 2008). "Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and facial trauma: can one size fit all? Part 1: dilemmas in the management of the multiply injured patient with coexisting facial injuries". International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery37 (3): 209–14
  3. James D. Kretlow, Aisha J. McKnight, Shayan A. Izaddoost. "Facial Soft Tissue Trauma" Semin Plast Surg. 2010 Nov; 24(4): 348–356
  4. Ardeshirpour F, Shaye DA, Hilger PA. Improving posttraumatic facial scars. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2013 Oct. 46(5):867-8