ABSTRACT
Objectives: The objective of this study was to report causes, management options, and complications
of facial fractures among children. Materials and Methods: The groups were defined on the basis of age, gender, cause of injuries, location,
and type of injuries. The treatment modalities ranged from no intervention, closed
reduction alone or with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF). Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics were generated by using SPSS software for the entire range
of the variables under study. Results: Records of 240 pediatric patients were obtained and a total of 322 fractures were
found among a study sample. Among these, one-thirds were due to road traffic accidents
(RTAs) (37.26%) and fall injuries (36.64%), making them the leading causes of facial
fractures. Mandibular fractures were the most common and they accounted for 46% (n = 148) of all fractures. The highest number of RTA (n = 27) was found in adolescents and fall injuries were more prevalent in preschool
children (n = 34). Forty-two percent of the fractures (n = 101) were treated with close treatment using arch bars and splints, followed by
ORIF (n = 68). The rest, 29.6% (n = 71), received conservative treatments. Postoperative complications were observed
in 18.33% (n = 44) of cases, of which jaw deviation, growth disturbance, and trismus were more
frequently encountered. Conclusion: Pediatric facial fractures if not managed properly can cause severe issues; therefore,
injury prevention strategies should be strictly followed to reduce pediatric injuries
in low socioeconomic countries.
Key words
Complications - facial fractures - fall injuries - road traffic accident - surgical
fixation
