Multi Detector Computed Tomography Evaluation of Spectrum of Facial Fractures in Motor Vehicle Accidents

• Main Authors: Vijay Kumar KR, Bharath B Das, Venkatesha MP
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Pvt. Ltd. 2016-07-01
• Series: International Journal of Anatomy Radiology and Surgery
• Subjects: clear sinus sign; le-fort fracture; collision; unifocal and multifocal fractures; sentinel fracture.
• Online Access: http://www.ijars.net/articles/PDF/2160/20367_F(GH)_PF1(VsuGH)_PFA(GH)_PF2(VsuGH).pdf
• ISSN: 2277-8543; 2455-6874

Introduction: Facial fractures consist of most common injuries in cases of road traffic accidents. Road traffic injuries are a major public health problem worldwide. Each year, an estimated 1.2 million people die in road traffic accidents and around 50 million suffer from non-fatal severe injuries. In big cities like Bangalore, motor vehicle accidents are very frequent. In such accidents MDCT is the modality of choice for detection and prognosticating facial injuries. Aim: The study was conducted to assess MDCT findings in facial fractures and to elaborate incidence and spectrum of these injuries. Materials and Methods: Cases were collected retrospectively over a period of 24 months, from January 2014- December 2015, in Department of Radio-diagnosis, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bangalore. 6 slice CT GE SOMATOM scanner was used to obtain images in bone and soft tissue window and thin reconstructions were done. From the data obtained which consisted of 650 positive cases, they were divided and assessed based on age, gender predominance, site of fracture and associated complications. A specific consideration was given to clear sinus sign. The statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2010 for Windows (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington). Results: Of the 650 cases, males constituted 533 cases and the rest were females. Most common age group was between 21-30 years. Cases with multiple fractures were more common as compared to a single fracture. Fractures of nasal bone topped the list with 20% of total cases being fracture of either single or both nasal bones, with or without other fracturesfollowed by orbital, skull base, and maxillary fractures. The Le Fort fractures are most commonly associated with opacification of the sinus indicating hemosinus. Conclusion: Road traffic accidents are very common in metropolitan cities like Bangalore and facial injuries constitute a significant number. Young and middle aged males are more prone for injury before of increased habit of risk taking and more exposure to risk. MDCT plays a major role in evaluation of patients with maxillofacial trauma. It not only gives information about site and displacement of the fracture; but also helps in detection of adjacent soft tissue injury and airway. In cases of trauma, imaging is very essential in diagnosis, treatment planning, and in prognosticating.