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. 2016 Jul-Sep;6(3):68-82.

PATTERN OF ASSAULT-RELATED MAXILLOFACIAL INJURIES TREATED AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL, LAGOS, NIGERIA

Aco Olojede, O M Gbotolorun, O M Ogundana  1 , I C Emeka  2 , M M Emmanuel  3 , Sab Oluseye  4 , O Runsewe  4
Affiliations

PATTERN OF ASSAULT-RELATED MAXILLOFACIAL INJURIES TREATED AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL, LAGOS, NIGERIA

Aco Olojede et al. J West Afr Coll Surg. 2016 Jul-Sep.

Abstract

Background: The human face often constitutes the first point of contact in various human interactions and it is frequently the preferred target for blows in assault cases.

Aim: To analyze the pattern of assault-related maxillofacial injuries treated at the General Hospital, Lagos over a period of one year.

Methodology: This is one year prospective study of assault-related maxillofacial injuries treated at the Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental Centre, General Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. A face-to-face interviewer-administered structured proforma was used to obtain information from study subjects.

Results: Thirty-three patients with maxillofacial injuries met the inclusion criteria for this study. Their age ranged between 16 and 48 years with a mean age of 28.2 ± 7.4 years. There were 25(75.8%) males and 8(24.2%) females with a male/female ratio of 3:1. Majority of the patients, 24(72.7%) did not have any skilled employment while the remaining 9(27.3%) were road transport workers, specifically commercial bus drivers and motorcycle riders. The most frequently seen soft tissue injury was contusion which accounted for 17(51.5%) cases while 13 (39%) of the patients sustained mandibular fracture which was the most common hard tissue injury.

Conclusion: Assault-related maxillofacial injuries are most common amongst young adult males who are not skillfully employed; this can be attributed to the increased disposition to violence in males in our environment.

Keywords: Assaults injuries; Mandibular fractures; Maxillofacial injuries; Soft tissue injuries.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig. 1:
Fig. 1:. Laceration of the soft tissues of the nose and middle third of the face
Fig. 2:
Fig. 2:. Human bite to the lower lip
Fig. 3:
Fig. 3:. Radiograph of fractured body of the left mandible due to domestic violence
Fig. 4:
Fig. 4:. Radiograph of reduced and immobilized fractured body of left mandible due to domestic violence
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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