Maxillofacial injuries in the Wenchuan earthquake

Abstract

Background: We retrospectively analyzed the characteristics and treatment of maxillofacial injuries in the patients who were victims of the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008 to improve the maxillofacial injuries database and provide reference on patients' treatment after earthquake.

Methods: We investigated 2944 cases by talking with the patients during the first 1 and half months after the earthquake and analyzed the results.

Results: Of the 2944 patients, 419 (14%) patients had maxillofacial injuries (man:woman, 1:1.07; mean age, 41.3 years old). Approximately 52% of the patients were injured by pressure and burying. Soft tissue injuries (91%) were considerably more prevalent than facial fractures (14%) and dentoalveolar injuries (17%). Of the patients with facial fractures, the numbers of cases of midface fracture (32 patients) were similar to the number of lower face fractures (31 patients). The most vulnerable bone regions were nasal-orbital-ethmoid bone (58.6%) and zygomatic bone (51.7%). Three hundred sixty patients (86%) demonstrated associated injuries, of which extremity injuries were the most prevalent. Ninety-two patients (22%) had wound infections, but only four patients (1%) had a general infection. Of the patients with maxillofacial injuries, only 77 patients (18.4%) received prehospital treatment.

Conclusion: Our analysis of the characteristics of maxillofacial injuries after the Wenchuan earthquake may improve our emergency treatment procedures in future disaster situations.