13 January 2023

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Study: maxillofacial gunshot wounds and operative intervention

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Gunshot wound (GSW) injuries are an important public health concern in the U.S. A new study published in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery sought to measure the association between GSW location and the need for operative treatment.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study conducted by dentists, physicians and a researcher from Cook County Health in Chicago. The research team analyzed data for all patients treated for maxillofacial gunshot wound injuries at Cook County Health from 2008 to 2018. 

The sample data were collected through a retrospective chart review and review of computed tomography imaging. The predictor variable was the region of the face involved with the GSW and it was divided into three levels: upper face, middle and lower face. The outcome variable was whether operative intervention was rendered or not. Other variables collected included patient demographics, type of surgical intervention, disposition (home versus rehab/morgue), rate of intracranial injury and need for blood transfusion. Data analysis was performed using Chi-square for proportions and relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

Researchers identified 180 patients to have sustained GSW injuries to the face during the time frame. Of those, 120 patients had isolated GSW injuries with no other organs involvement. 

The median age of patients was 25 years and most of the patients, or 94%, were males. The involved facial region appeared to influence the need for operative management, and this reached statistical significance. 

GSW injuries to the lower face were almost three times more likely to require operative intervention than injuries to the middle face. Injuries of the upper face were two times more likely to require operative intervention than injuries of the middle face. Injuries to the upper face were more likely to be associated with intracranial injuries.

Conclusions

In patients with facial GSW injuries, there is an association between injury location and the need for operative intervention. Injuries to the lower face were most likely to require surgical intervention followed by the upper and middle face, respectively.

Read more at: Is Maxillofacial Gunshot Wound Location Associated With Operative Intervention?