[Facial injuries treated in the Grenoble University Hospital. Epidemiological analysis of 961 patients managed in one year].

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the types of facial injuries treated in a one-year in a maxillo-facial unit operating in a mountainous region.

METHODS: All patients admitted to the Grenoble University Hospital maxillo-facial unit for a one year period were studied. We noted cause of trauma, age, sex, type and location of fracture, type of soft tissue injury, time between trauma and surgery.

RESULTS: A total of 994 patients presenting maxillo-facial trauma underwent surgery over one year; 30% of the unit's maxillo-facial surgical activity. On average, 80 patients were treated for maxillo-facial trauma per month, with a peak of 97 facial injuries in July; 65.6% were hospitalized in the maxillo-facial unit; 25,4% of the injured were aged between 21 and 30 years. Sex-ratio was 2.7M/1F. The most frequent cause was sports injuries (25.8%) followed, in decreasing order, by traffic injuries (23.1%), home injuries (17.6%), fight injuries (3.4%), work injuries (3.4%) and dog bites (3.2%). 10.5% of the injuries occurred in a mountainous setting and 40.7% were sports injuries, 95% of which during practice of winter's sports. Injuries included facial fractures (65.5%) with or without soft tissue damage, and soft tissue injuries only (34.5%); 33.6% of the patients had other lesions of the body. 67.2% underwent surgery within the first 24 hours and 86.9% before the fifth day.

DISCUSSION: Sports accidents are the leading cause of facial trauma in the mountainous regions. Most facial injuries result from ski, surf and other winter sports accidents. Most of the victims were given surgical care within the first 24 hours following the accident.