Maxillofacial Injuries in a Tanzanian Teaching Hospital
Author Information
Author(s): Chalya Phillipo L, Mchembe Mabula, Mabula Joseph B, Kanumba Emanuel S, Gilyoma Japhet M
Primary Institution: Weill-Bugando University College of Health Sciences
Hypothesis
This study aims to determine the etiology, injury characteristics, and management outcomes of maxillofacial injuries at a teaching hospital in Tanzania.
Conclusion
Road traffic crashes remain the major cause of maxillofacial injuries in this setting, highlighting the need for preventive measures.
Supporting Evidence
- Road traffic crashes accounted for 57.1% of maxillofacial injuries.
- Soft tissue injuries were the most common, occurring in 92.2% of patients.
- Complications occurred in 24% of patients, mainly due to infection and malocclusion.
- The mean duration of hospital stay was 18.12 days.
- The mortality rate was 11.7%.
Takeaway
Many people hurt their faces in car accidents, and we need to find ways to stop these accidents from happening.
Methodology
A prospective hospital-based study was conducted at Bugando Medical Centre, collecting data from maxillofacial injury patients using a structured questionnaire.
Potential Biases
None of the patients received pre-hospital care, which may have affected outcomes.
Limitations
The study did not include patients who died before assessment and lacked advanced imaging techniques due to financial constraints.
Participant Demographics
The majority of participants were young adult males, with a mean age of 28.32 years, and most were unemployed with low education levels.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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