Maxillofacial Injuries and Management of Patients
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Institutional Affiliation
Maxillofacial Injuries and Management of Patients
Abstract
Maxillofacial injuries remain a source of significant concern among healthcare professionals. The injuries are often life-threatening if not handled professionally. The introduction of safety belts aimed at reducing cases of road accidents as they have been the primary cause of maxillofacial injuries. Despite this intervention, road accidents remain the major contributor to such incidences. Therefore, it has become essential to study these injuries in-depth to understand better the condition and everything associated with it. Also, it is vital to identify proper management techniques that help mitigate the effects of maxillofacial injuries on an individual and possible interventions that will help the individual return to their normal health status. Different individuals may require various responses depending on the type and severity of the injury. Such cases make it necessary to acquire a better understanding of the subject.
Introduction
Maxillofacial injuries are a common occurrence among individuals that suffer from major trauma. McGoldrick et al. (2018, p.1) identify major trauma as a point of primary global concern because of its contribution to mortality and morbidity. The majority of individuals who suffer from maxillofacial injuries are male, and the type of injury is usually blunt (McGoldrick et al., 2018, p.1). Roccia et al. (2019, p.2) identify traffic accidents as the primary cause of maxillofacial injuries, followed by falls from heights of less than two metres.
Understanding the nature and extent of such injuries requires prior knowledge of the extent of the maxillofacial region. The region is divided into three distinct areas. The upper face comprises of the frontal sinus and the frontal born; the midface consists of the maxillary, ethmoid, zygomatic, and nasal bones, and the lower bone, which comprises primarily of the mandible (Al-Gorashi et al., 2019, p.3). Additionally, the area has a vibrant network of blood and sensory nerve supply comprised of the facial nerve, the external carotid artery, and the trigeminal nerve.
This medical concern has caught the attention of many researchers who have dedicated their time and resources to finding ways of managing the condition among patients. This sense of urgency comes from the area’s proximity to vital body organs such as the brain, eyes and the spinal cord (Al-Gorashi et al., 2019, p.4). Al Gorashi et al., (2019, p.4) identify the broad classification of the management techniques as being definitive treatment and emergency treatment. These corrective measures go a long way in helping to preserve the lives of affected individuals. The management of such patients depends on the nature and extent of the injury (Yadollahi et al., 2019, p.5). The damage may be mild such as injuries to the teeth and surrounding tissues, or severe as in the case of internal bleeding from major arteries.
Research Problem
The incidence of maxillofacial injuries varies from country to country, depending on various factors such as economic and social differences. However, there is no denying that such occurrences contribute highly to morbidity and mortality around the world. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the extent and severity of such incidences and how affected individuals can receive medical attention that would help them evade death.
Literature Review
This section aims at building the reader’s background knowledge on issues concerning maxillofacial injuries. This understanding will help them relate well to the proposed management methods and techniques that would be instrumental in handling such patients. The study relied on secondary sources of data to come up with comprehensive information that would be useful to readers. Therefore, the area reviews the causes and extent of maxillofacial injuries and the measures that help in the management of such cases.
Roccia et al. (2019, p. 15) shed light on the different types of maxillofacial injuries that individuals can suffer from. The classification of injuries depends on the areas that are affected by traumatic occurrences. Yadollahi et al. (2019, p.7) state maxillofacial injuries involve fractures to the associated bones or damage to the soft tissues located in the area. They also note that a significant portion of traumatic injuries includes injuries to the face or jaw.
Many patients suffering from maxillofacial injuries report injuries to the midface, which majorly comprises of bones, namely, zygomatic, maxilla, nasal, and ethmoid (Roccia et., 2019, p.16). Other areas that present high prevalence rates include the maxilla and the mandible. Major trauma can easily fracture the jawbones, leading to high levels of discomfort for the affected individual. This discomfort has adverse effects on the quality of life, and often reduces the productivity of the patients (Yadollahi et al., 2019, p.7).
Other types of maxillofacial injuries affect other areas of the face, such as the ear, nose, mouth, and eye. Health professionals also refer to eye injuries as infraorbital injuries. Such damages depend on the angle at which the person received the impact of the traumatic event. The strength of the effect affects the severity of the injury.
In other cases, traumatic events result in severe bleeding. This kind of trauma is the most dangerous because cases of internal bleeding are challenging to detect. Therefore, an individual may appear okay on the outside while arteries are losing blood on the inside. The inability to detect this bleeding early on leads to excessive loss of blood. Loss of blood leads to other health complications such as anemia. Therefore, prompt identification of such occurrences is essential in preventing the condition from getting worse.
Emergency interventions involve measures that try to improve the patient’s condition before they get to a health care facility for advanced level care. The primary intervention consists of paying attention to the patency of the airway (Al-Gorashi et al., 2019, p.9). Severe maxillofacial injuries result in the blockage of the airway. This blockage limits gaseous exchange and results in the death of the affected person. Reports suggest that this is the leading cause of death among such individuals.
The next course of action is controlling any visible signs of bleeding. Controlling bleeding will help prevent excessive blood loss, thus stabilizing the individual’s condition. In cases where the patient has already lost a lot of blood, they may require blood transfusion or venous addition of a crystalloid solution (Al-Gorashi et al., 2019, p.9). These measures would help restore safe levels of blood within the body system of the individual.
Finally, if the person attending to the patient has the necessary qualifications, they can perform palpitations on the major bones in the area. Areas that may need focus include the maxilla, zygomatic arch, mandible, nose, alveolar ridges, and orbital rims (Al-Gorashi et al., 2019, p.9). This process allows for the identification of any fractures to the bones. Therefore, the patient will be stable enough to wait for the services of a qualified professional. Pietzka et al. (2020, p.7) identify definitive management procedures such as managing pain and surgical procedures to repair damaged parts.
Conclusion
The high incidence of maxillofacial injuries raises concern among healthcare professionals. They have to have measures in place that will facilitate the management of such cases to help patients make full recoveries.
References
Al-Gorashi, A. S., Aljalooud, A. H., Sindi, A. M., Gurban, L. K., Alzahrani, M. A., Jayar, R. F., … & Alghamdi, A. A. (2019). An Overview of the Diagnosis and Management of Common Maxillofacial Injuries in the Emergency Setting. EC Dental Science, 19(1), 01-12. https://www.ecronicon.com/ecde/an-overview-of-the-diagnosis-and-management-of-common-maxillofacial-injuries-in-the-emergency-setting.php
McGoldrick, D. M., Fragoso-Iñiguez, M., Lawrence, T., & McMillan, K. (2018). Maxillofacial injuries in patients with major trauma. British journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery, 56(6), 496-500. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266435618301062
Pietzka, S., Kämmerer, P. W., Pietzka, S., Schramm, A., Lampl, L., Lefering, R., … & Kulla, M. (2020). Maxillofacial injuries in severely injured patients after road traffic accidents—a retrospective evaluation of the TraumaRegister DGU® 1993–2014. Clinical oral investigations, 24(1), 503-513. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00784-019-03024-6
Roccia, F., Sotong, J., Savoini, M., Ramieri, G., & Zavattero, E. (2019). Maxillofacial injuries due to traffic accidents. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 30(4), e288-e293. https://journals.lww.com/jcraniofacialsurgery/Fulltext/2019/06000/Maxillofacial_Injuries_Due_to_Traffic_Accidents.89.aspx
Yadollahi, M., Abad, M. B. S., & Pazhuheian, F. (2019). Pattern of maxillofacial injuries and determinants of outcome in a large series of patients admitted to a Level-I trauma center. Bulletin of Emergency & Trauma, 7(2), 176. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6555202/