Low velocity hand-gun injuries of the maxillofacial region

In contrast to the number of reports in the literature describing high velocity injuries of the maxillo-facial region, there are relatively few which deal with civilian type gunshot injuries. The purpose of this study was to undertake a retrospective analysis of 40 cases of low-velocity hand-gun injuries of the maxillo-facial region. The majority of cases were due to assault followed by accidental shootings and failed suicide attempts. Injuries ranged from mild soft tissue damage without fractures to severe, comminuted fractures of the facial bones. In some cases, soft tissue damage was severe. Rarely were injuries life threatening. Entrance wounds were characteristically small and well circumscribed. In 60 per cent of cases the bullet did not exist and was retained within the tissues. The floor of the mouth and tongue were the soft tissues most commonly injured. Other structures injured were major blood vessels, nerves and the eye. Mandibular fractures occurred in 58 per cent of cases, followed in frequency by maxillary complex fractures. Twenty per cent of fractures simultaneously involved bones of the upper, middle and lower-thirds of the facial skeleton. The above injuries are discussed and a classification of low-velocity hand-gun injuries of the maxillo-facial region is proposed.     

External fixation in a low-velocity gunshot wound to the mandible

ABSTRACT: Low-velocity gunshot wounds to the mandible are complex injuries that can be aesthetically and functionally devastating. Despite advances in plating systems and surgical techniques, repair of such injuries remains a challenging endeavor. Traditionally, external fixation has resulted in longer treatment times and the need for revision surgery. Rigid fixation has many proponents because of shorter postoperative treatment times and fewer complications. We report a case of a low-velocity gunshot injury to the mandible with comminution and a full-thickness soft tissue wound treated definitively with maxillomandibular fixation and an external fixation device.     

Non-free osteoplasty of the mandible in maxillofacial gunshot wounds: mandibular reconstruction by compression-osteodistraction.

We have treated 33 young men with medium to large (3-8 cm) bony and soft tissue defects of the lower third of the face caused by gunshot wounds. After debridement, collapsing the proximal segments for primary approximation of soft and hard tissues and a closed osteotomy of a small fragment of mandible, we used an original compression-distraction device, designed in 1982 and tested during 1983 (analogous devices were absent at that time) to reposition the mandible and cause callus to form (during distraction) between the fragment and to use the remaining stumps of bone to fill in the defect. The soft tissues were repaired at the same time. Twenty-eight of the patients presented within a few hours of injury, and the remaining five had old injuries. The only complications were in the group with old injuries where four patients developed abscesses that required drainage, but these did not interfere with the process of osteogenesis. All 33 patients had good functional and aesthetic results within 3-4.5 months. The method allows a bloodless minimally traumatic procedure which can be carried out in one stage. The results compare very favourably with the classic methods of the treatment of mandibular gunshot injuries.     

Facial gunshot wounds: a 4-year experience.

PURPOSE: Facial gunshot wounds can result in devastating functional and aesthetic consequences for patients. In an attempt to evaluate the management and outcome in these patients, a 4-year retrospective review was undertaken of all patients presenting with facial gunshot wounds at a level I trauma center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 121 patients were identified. Medical documentation could be obtained on 84 of those patients. The patients' maxillofacial injuries were treated by the 3 participating services: plastic surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and otorhinolaryngology. The patients ranged in age from 6 to 64 years, with a mean age of 27 years. RESULTS: The gunshot wounds were single in 64% of the cases and multiple in 36% of the cases. Overall mortality in the series was 11%. Sixty-seven percent (56/84) of the patients suffered an injury to the underlying craniofacial skeleton. Seventy-five percent of these patients required surgical intervention. Twenty-one percent of the patients (16/75) required tracheostomy emergently for management of the airway. Eighteen percent (15/84) of these patients had an intracranial injury, with 50% of these patients requiring surgery. Fourteen percent of the patients in the series (12/84) had great vessel injuries diagnosed at the time of angiography, with 50% of these patients requiring surgery for treatment. CONCLUSION: Contrary to much of the published literature, most patients in this series required surgical intervention for treatment of their facial gunshot wounds. Reconstructive procedures were performed early in the patient's course and, when possible, addressed both the soft tissue and underlying bony injury in a minimum number of stages.     

Self-inflicted craniomaxillofacial gunshot wounds: management,reconstruction, and outcomes

Suicide by firearm remains one of the leading causes of violence-related injury death in the United States each year. The mortality rate from these injuries is high, resulting in a paucity of outcome data in the literature regarding injuries to the maxillofacial region. This has largely been attributed to a lack of funding for research in this area compared to other leading causes of mortality in the United States. The aim of this study was to detail the authors’ experience and approach to complex maxillofacial reconstruction using both local reconstructive methods and microvascular free tissue transfer. A retrospective cohort study was designed, including patients who sustained self-inflicted gunshot wounds to the maxillofacial region between January 1, 2012 and May 1, 2020. Forty-one patients met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the patients were male (87.8%). Mean patient age was 44.2 ± 16.6 years. Alcohol or drugs, and a psychiatric history were present in a majority of the cases. The most involved anatomical region was the midface (75.6% of cases). Seven patients required free tissue transfer for reconstruction, with many needing multiple flaps. Self-inflicted gunshot wounds represent challenging reconstruction scenarios, often in the setting of severe psychological trauma, and require a multidisciplinary team to ensure the optimal outcome.     

Management of missile injuries to the maxillofacial region: A case series

AIM: To assess our management of patients suffering from missile injuries to the maxillofacial region. METHODS: From December 2009 to September 2012, 40 patients with missile injuries (high velocity gunshot and bullet wounds, explosive injuries and shrapnel etc.) affecting the maxillofacial region were treated. All except for 2 patients were males. All had soft tissue injuries with or without bone injuries. These patients were referred to the plastic and maxillofacial surgery ward of our hospital. The patients were 19 to 65 years of age (mean 45 years). In 19 cases, there were missile injuries to other parts of the body, especially the lower extremities. All of the patients were managed by early soft tissue debridement, comprehensive reconstruction and antibiotics. This retrospective study was approved by the IRB and ethical committees. RESULTS: The majority of injuries were caused by high velocity projectiles (88%) and the remaining by car explosions or dynamite blasts (12%). 40 patients were treated surgically. Thirty patients had soft tissue loss (75%) and 20 patients (50%) had bone loss; there was combined soft tissue and bone loss in 10 (25%) patients. Facial fractures were in the orbital bones in 10 cases, maxillary in 7, nasal in 5 and the mandible in 3 cases. We used primary repair in the majority of soft tissue defects (25 of 40 cases). Bone repair was done primarily at the same stage using miniplates, titanium screws or wires. In some cases with a bone defect, iliac bone grafts were used simultaneously or in the later stages (mandibular defects). There was no failure of bone reconstruction in our cases. Infections occurred in two cases and were treated with systemic antibiotics and dressing changes, without any long term sequelae. CONCLUSION: Our principles for soft tissue reconstructions were according to the reconstructive ladder and included primary repair, local flaps, skin grafts and regional flaps depending on the extent of damage. Primary repair in facial missile defects was not associated with increased morbidity or complications in this series. We recommend this approach when feasible.     

Primary management of maxillofacial hard and soft tissue gunshot and shrapnel injuries

PURPOSE: A 10-year retrospective study was undertaken of all patients treated for facial gunshot and shrapnel wounds at our medical center to evaluate the outcomes and assess the results of simultaneous management to treat the hard and soft tissue injuries primarily. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 44 patients were treated. Medical documentation of the patients was compiled. All maxillofacial gunshot, shrapnel, and warfare injuries were treated by the oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Other concomitant bodily injuries were treated by pertinent consultant specialists. Patients ranged in age from 8 to 53 years, with a mean age of 24.7 years. Maxillofacial hard and soft tissue injuries were treated definitively in the first operation except when gross contamination, infection, extensive comminution, or general condition precluded this. RESULTS: There were 2 shotgun, 28 bullet, 10 shrapnel, 3 land mine, and 1 breech block injuries. Overall postadmission mortality in this series was 2.2%. Of the 97.7% of the patients who had an injury to the underlying craniofacial skeleton, all required surgical intervention. The soft tissue and underlying bony injuries were addressed concomitantly (in a single stage at the time of primary surgical debridement) in 86.3% of the patients. Nine percent of the patients had a tracheostomy emergently for management of the airway, 6.8% had an intracranial injury, and 2.2% of them required neurosurgery. In the series, 4.5% of the patients had neck wounds that required exploration. Comprehensive treatment was rendered in 1 to 3 major operations (average, 1.5). CONCLUSION: All patients in this series required surgical intervention for treatment of their facial gunshot wounds. Primary treatment of hard and soft tissue injuries of the face at the time of surgical debridement was possible in the majority of our patients. This minimized the number of admissions and did not bear a higher complication rate than other reported series that advocate multiple staged operations to treat such injuries despite the fact that, in our series, flaps were also mobilized for wound closure in the primary phase.     

Gunshot injuries of the orofacial region in Nigerian civilians.

The dearth of information from Africa on gunshot injuries to the orofacial region in a civilian population prompted this retrospective survey. Sociodemographic data, manifestations at admission, type of firearm inflicting injuries, mechanism of injury, radiographs, treatment and complications were reviewed. All injuries occurred in the civilian population. The majority of patients (95.5%) were males, involved mainly in recreational hunting expeditions. The Dane gun was mostly used (86.4%) and accidental discharge of the weapon was recorded in 59.1% of the cases, 40.9% of these being accidentally self-inflicted. Overall, the left half of the face received more of the missiles. Complications were seen in 63.6% of the patients and the most common of these was loss of sight. The mortality rate was 22.7%. Late presentation was a frequent occurrence. It is suggested that Nigerian law enforcement agencies devise strategies to monitor the sale, acquisition and use of such firearms.     

Experimental odontogenic tumors produced by ethylnitrosourea injections and mechanical injuries

The present study was carried out to investigate odontogenic tumor induction in the rats by injections of carcinogen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) coupled with incisional wounds. The animals which received local injections of ENU in the region of incisor tooth germ of the right mandible every other day for 19 days after birth coupled with incisional wounding in the same region at 2 and 8 days, developed odontogenic carcinomas. However, the animals which were given local injections of ENU in the region of incisor tooth germ but did not receive incisional wounds, showed no pathologic changes. The animals which received both local injections of physiologic salt solution and incisional wounds in the same manner as mentioned above, did not exhibit any pathologic changes. The present results indicate that local administration of carcinogen ENU coupled with mechanical injuries, namely incisional wounding, caused the production of odontogenic carcinomas in the incisor region of the mandible in rats.     

Atypical dento‐alveolar fracture fixed with screws: a technical note

Abstract – Dento‐alveolar process fracture is an important and common event in the dental office practice usually managed under the well‐established protocols, but sometimes this kind of lesion is evaluated in the hospital emergency rooms without attention to the dental injuries. In this type of trauma, the time between the injury and the definitive resolution is essential for the treatment success, usually 1 h in cases of dento‐alveolar fractures (tooth and alveolar bone). This paper describes the management of a patient with unusual dento‐alveolar fracture caused by gunshot and treated using screw fixation.     

Biomechanical changes in the head associated with penetrating injuries of the maxilla and mandible: an experimental investigation.

PURPOSE: In this experiment, we studied the craniocerebral injury that occurs due to the transmission of forces when maxillofacial gunshot wounds are sustained by the facial bones and cranium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty fresh pigs' heads were wounded by one of the following methods: steel spheres weighing 1.03 g at an impact velocity of 1,400 m/s, steel spheres weighing 1.03 g at an impact velocity of 800 m/s, M193 military bullets, or M56 military bullets. Pressure waves in the brain, acceleration of the head, and stress changes in the facial bones and cranium at the moment of the impact were recorded by pressure and acceleration transducers and strain gauges and were statistically compared. RESULTS: Some obvious differences between the mechanical values obtained from high-and low-velocity missile wounds were found. A negative relationship between the peak value of the pressure wave in the brain and the distance from the point of impact to the transducer was obtained. The acceleration of the head in the direction of the ballistic path was the strongest in absolute value. There were differences in the stress values between the mandible and the temporal bone. CONCLUSIONS: Acceleration of the head, pressure wave changes in the brain, and injury from bony stress conduction all play important roles in associated craniocerebral damage after maxillofacial firearm wounds.     

Elevated blood lead resulting from maxillofacial gunshot injuries with lead ingestion.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the contribution of ingested lead particles to elevated blood lead concentrations in victims of gunshot injury to the maxillofacial region. PATIENTS AND METHODS: As part of a larger study of the effects of retained lead bullets on blood lead, a retrospective review of study findings was completed on 5 of 8 patients who sustained injuries to the maxillofacial region. These 5 patients were recruited into the larger study within 11 days of injury and showed a penetration path for the projectile that engaged the upper aerodigestive tract. All subjects were recruited from patients presenting for care of their gunshot injuries to a large inner-city trauma center with a retained bullet resulting from a gunshot injury. An initial blood lead level was measured for all recruited patients and repeated 1 to 17 weeks later. Medical history was taken along with a screening and risk factor questionnaire to determine other potential or actual sources (occupational/recreational) of lead exposure. (109)Cd K-shell x-ray fluorescence determinations of bone lead were completed to determine past lead exposure not revealed by medical history and risk factor questionnaire. Radiographs taken of the abdomen and chest, required as a part of the patient's hospital care, were retrospectively reviewed for signs of metallic fragments along the aerodigestive tract. RESULTS: All 5 patients retained multiple lead pellets or fragments at the site of injury, sustained fractures of the facial bones, and showed increases in blood lead. Three of the 5 study subjects who sustained maxillofacial gunshot injuries involving the mouth, nose, or throat region showed metallic densities along the gastrointestinal tract indicative of ingested bullet fragments. Each patient with ingested bullet fragments showed rapid elevation of blood lead exceeding 25 microg/dL and sustained increases well beyond the time when all ingested fragments were eliminated. A 3-year follow-up on these 3 patients showed significantly sustained elevation of blood lead but less than that observed during the initial 6 months after injury. None of the 5 study subjects showed any evidence of metallic foreign bodies within the tracheobronchial regions indicative of aspiration. CONCLUSION: Ingestion of lead fragments can result from gunshot injuries to the maxillofacial region and may substantially contribute to a rapid increase in blood lead level. Prompt diagnosis and elimination of ingested lead fragments are essential steps necessary to prevent lead being absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Increased blood lead in victims after gunshot injuries must be fully evaluated for all potential sources, including recent environmental exposure, absorption of lead from any remaining bullets in body tissues, and the possibility of mobilization of lead from long-term body stores such as bone.     

Vascular injury and penetrating facial trauma.

Three patients with gunshot wounds to facial and vascular structures were described. They demonstrate the importance of angiography in the acute care phases of treatment. In one case, angiography lead to eventual surgical management of an arteriovenous fistula. The other two cases described arterial injury that required careful surgical follow-up to detect delayed complications.     

Nine-year follow-up of successful placement of endosseous implants in a mandibular bone graft

Facial trauma injuries secondary to gunshot wounds present a unique challenge. These wounds are avulsive and typically involve the destruction of soft tissue with bone loss. A technique in bone transplantation is that of particulate cancellous bone and marrow. Initial form and stability can be provided by a titanium mesh tray or reconstruction plates while the graft undergoes maturation and consolidation. Dental implants can then be placed in this grafted site to provide stabilization for a functional and comfortable prosthesis and for the support of the peri-oral soft tissues.     

Clinical use of internal distraction osteogenesis in the rehabilitation of gunshot injuries of the mandible

Rehabilitation of gunshot injuries that require combined reconstruction of bone and soft tissue poses a considerable challenge. We describe three cases of rehabilitation for mandibular defects and deformities caused by gunshot injuries. After debridement, three kinds of internal distractors were used. The bony transport discs were distracted about 10-22 mm, and the new bone formed well in the distracted gaps. There was no evidence of infection during the consolidation period or follow up. Aesthetic appearance was also pleasing after treatment. Internal distraction osteogenesis after debridement might be a practical way of synchronously reconstructing bony and soft tissue after mandibular gunshot injuries.     

Evaluation of immediate phase of management of missile injuries affecting maxillofacial region in iraq

In the past two years Iraq was, and still is, subjecting to a confluence of conventional war, civil unrest, guerrilla and terrorist attacks as well as an increasing crime rates. This study evaluates the immediate phase of management of 100 patients suffering from missile injuries to the maxillofacial region. Patients were treated in the maxillofacial unit in the Specialized Surgeries Hospital Medical City, Baghdad during one year (from 2003 to 2004). We had 79 men and 21 women. Age ranged from three to 72 years (mean 37.5 years). The majority of injuries were caused by rifle bullets (49%) followed by fragments (29%), handgun bullets (15%), airgun pellets (6%), and shotgun (1%). Injuries consisted mainly of mandibular fractures found in 56 patients.Urgent airway management was needed in (27%) of patients. Nineteen patients were presented with active bleeding which would not stop without intervention. Most entrance and exit wounds as well as retained missiles were located in the cheek (54.8%, 39.4%, and 27.5% respectively). There were three mortalities due to complications related to head injury.Distribution of missiles used in any conflict reflects the type of this conflict, the prevailing local conditions, and the technological efficiency of weapons used by the opposing teams. Particularly challenging are missile injuries that involve the face, not only because of problems with reconstructing bone and soft tissue defects but also because of emergent problems with airway obstruction and neurovascular compromise.     

Surgical management of a projectile within the temporomandibular joint

Facial gunshot wounds pose a challenge for head and neck surgeons as it is usually accompanied by significant soft and bone tissue loss and impairment of the stomatognathic system. This article reports the case of a patient who had sustained facial gunshot wound and had the projectile lodged at the upper disk space of the right-side temporomandibular joint, which caused mandible function impairment and pain. The projectile was surgically removed via endaural access, and the patient was later submitted to physiotherapy. After treatment, the function of the joint was reestablished, the pain disappeared, and the aesthetics results were considered excellent, with no sequels. The surgical removal of the projectile of the temporomandibular joint combined with the postsurgical physiotherapy showed to be an efficient treatment to the present case.     

Epidemiology,demographics, and outcomes of craniomaxillofacial gunshot wounds in a Level I trauma center

BackgroundGunshot injuries to the craniomaxillofacial region are a challenge to the trauma and reconstructive surgeon. Although management of these injuries has been standardized and early rather than late intervention is advocated, the patient characteristics before, during, and after have been poorly elucidated.MethodsA prospectively maintained Level I trauma center database was queried as to gunshot wounds of the craniomaxillofacial skeleton. Over a five-year period (2007–2011), 168 patients were identified with these injuries. Charts were reviewed as to demographics, presentations, and outcomes and these were tested for significant relationships with hospital length of stay, numbers and types of procedures, morbidity, and mortality.ResultsGunshot wounds to the craniofacial skeleton resulted in 71 deaths in this patient population. Those that died were significantly older, presented with a lower GCS, had a shorter LOS, and a higher INR than those that lived. Subgroup analysis of mechanism demonstrated mortality was more likely to occur as a result of self-inflicted injury in whites and due to assault in the African-American population.ConclusionsData gathered from this study disputes some commonly held beliefs regarding the epidemiology of gunshot injuries and should allow for better characterization of which outcomes are consistent with which presentations.     

Haemorrhage control beyond Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocol in life threatening maxillofacial trauma – experience from a level Ⅰ trauma centre

Maxillofacial injuries are usually not life-threatening and do not get priority over other associated injuries. However, some maxillofacial injuries with active oral or nasal bleeding need immediate management due to threatened airway and blood loss. In the case of major active vascular bleeding, measures such as local pressure, anterior nasal packing, posterior nasal packing, and balloon tamponade are ineffective. In these cases, angiography and transcatheter arterial embolisation (TAE) are used to treat life-threatening haemorrhage caused by maxillofacial trauma. We analysed the medical records of 39 patients with severe maxillofacial trauma and life-threatening haemorrhage that was a result of intractable oral or nasal bleeding. These patients were considered for TAE from January 2010 to December 2019. A total of 1668 patients was admitted, out of which 39 (2.3%) had severe maxillofacial injuries with life-threatening oral or nasal bleeding and underwent TAE. Out of a total of 39 patients, 38 were male and one female. Ages ranged from 16 to 65 years. Road traffic injury was the most common cause of injury (79.5%), Lefort I and II were the most common facial fractures, and traumatic brain injury was the most common associated injury. Embolisation and bleeding control were done successfully in all 39 patients with no procedure-related complications. A total of 17 deaths during the study period were due to severe traumatic brain injuries or haemorrhagic shock.     

口腔颌面部创伤111例患者的伤情分析

目的:总结和探讨"7·23"重特大动车事故发生后一线医院收治的口腔颌面部创伤患者的伤情特点。方法 :对温州市11家医院收治的111例动车事故中口腔颌面部创伤患者的病例资料进行统计和分析。结果:111例口腔颌面部创伤患者中男女比例为1.27∶1;21～30岁(33.3%)为受伤高峰年龄段。在颌面部创伤中,颌面部软组织伤占81.1%,颌面部骨折占11.7%,牙外伤(牙槽突创伤)患者占7.2%。3例下颌骨骨折患者共发生5处骨折,占骨折的29.4%,发生率最高。合并损伤多发,以四肢损伤和胸部损伤最为多见,分别占31.1%和25.7%。结论:动车事故中口腔颌面部创伤多发,但以软组织伤最为常见,颌骨骨折中下颌骨骨折居多;复合伤多,最常见的是四肢和胸部的损伤。