Characteristics of Alcohol-Related Facial Fractures

Abstract

Purpose: Excessive indulgence in alcohol is a key causative factor in facial fractures especially in settings of interpersonal violence (IPV) and motor vehicle accidents. This study aims to explore characteristics of alcohol-involved facial fractures in the state of Victoria, Australia, over a 10-year period.

Materials and methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset between 2004 and 2014; the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset is a standardized database reported by all Victorian hospitals for every admission. Admission details included patient age group and gender, fracture site (or sites), injury cause, and surgical management.

Results: During the study period, 4,293 patients were treated for alcohol-related facial fractures, 27% of whom were in the 20- to 29-year-old age group. The male-to-female ratio was 7:1. There was a rising trend over most of the study period. Of the patients, 36% had multiple facial bone fractures, followed by nasal and midface fractures (22% and 6%, respectively). IPV was the most frequent cause (38%), followed by falls and transport-related injuries (30% and 18%, respectively). Surgery was required in 16% of patients, and 62% were inpatients for 1 to 3 days. Concomitant fractures were frequently reported; 20% of patients had fractures of another site, 12% had skull fractures, and 4% had cervical spine fractures. There were statistically significant relationships between age group and gender, between gender and fracture site, and between fracture site and need for surgery (P < .05).

Conclusions: This study reports a high incidence of alcohol-involved facial fractures in young men with IPV being a predominant cause. Such injuries often involve multiple facial bone fractures and severe concomitant trauma necessitating brief hospitalizations, but a high proportion of patients were treated nonsurgically.