The demographic features of concomitant facial fractures with closed head injuries in maricopa arizona

Publication date: Available online 31 January 2018
Source:Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology
Author(s): Malcolm Harris, Tara Brantley, Douglas Hammond, Sabah Kalamchi
Objectives:1. To investigate the demographic profile of American Native patients with concomitant facial fractures and closed head injuries (CHI).2. To explore the validation of the craniofacial crumble zone.Patients and MethodsThis is a retrospective observational case controlled study of 2131 maxillofacial fractures from 2010 to 2014 of which 173 (8%) had concomitant CHI.Results133 (77%) were males, mean age 40.6 years. Only 2.1% of the local population were Native Americans but represented 24% of the CHI patients and sustained assault injuries 4.6 times more than other groups (p-value <0.001) and 2.6 times more concussion (p-value <0.001). Other trauma comparisons were not significant. 86 (50%) of the 173 patient's blood alcohol levels exceeded 80mg/100mL, compared to 93% of the Native Americans.ConclusionsThe Native American patients had a highly significant predisposition to violence and road traffic accidents with maxillofacial and CHI. Their high blood alcohol levels also reflected longstanding serious sociological problems. This study is an invaluable model to investigate the relative ethnic/racial role of comminuted paranasal structures for the protection of the brain, that is the crumble zone.



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