Evaluation of Zygomatic fractures in patients referring to the Imam Reza hospital in a 2year period

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The zygomatic bone has a prominent and important position in the facial skeleton. The zygoma takes part in a significant portion of the floor, lateral wall of the orbit and the zygomatic arch, the malar eminence, playing a fundamental role in the determination of facial morphology. Facial bones results extremely exposed to trauma as for their anterior location and the zygomatic complex injuries are very common in trauma patients. This study was designed to investigate zygomatic fracture in patients referred to Imam Reza Hospital during 2012-2013. Methods & Materials: In this prospective study, 165 patients with zygomatic fractures referred to Imam Reza Teaching hospital during 2012-2013 were recruited. Demographic data, as well as the characteristics of the fractures including location, type and underlying causes of injury, signs and symptoms, treatment and complications were documented. Results: A total of 165 patients, 132 males and 33 females (male to female ratio: 4 to 1) with the mean age of 33.1212.85 years (12-90) were enrolled in this study. The underlying cause of injury were traffic accidents in 110 cases, fall in 30 cases, quarrel in 17 cases and sport-related injures in 8 cases. The buttress was involved individually in 57%, the arch in 5.5%, and both the buttress and arch in 37.6%. The most common type of fracture was IV in 85 cases, followed by III in 59 cases, I in 11 cases and II in 10 cases. The most common signs were infraorbital nerve paresthesia (62.4%), step in the inferior rim (57%) and hematoma (50.9%). Surgery was performed in 64.2%. Follow-up was complete in 55.8%. The most common complications were paresthesia (68.5%), limitation in opening of the mouth (28.3%), and blurred vision/asymmetry (15.2% each one). Any complication was present in 95.7% of the patients. Conclusion: The findings, compared with similar studies reported in the literature, support the view that the highest prevalence of zygomatic fractures is in young male patients and, concerning cause, traffic accidents are the most frequent.