Publication:

The alcoholic individual and facial trauma: a 3 years survey

Background Road traffic accidents, under the influence of alcohol constitute a majority of patients in the emergency trauma services in tertiary health care facilities. The incidence of the same and the region predominantly involved was analysed.

Methods 61 subjects in the Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial trauma services were studied, during a period of 2 years, at Dayanand medical college, Ludhiana, Punjab. In this prospective study the admission records were analysed in context to alcohol intake prior to the trauma.

Results The incidence of facial fractures, attributed to road-side accidents was the highest i.e. 72%. Other antecedent events were, assaults in 15%, fall from heights in 8% and due to sport injuries in 3.2%. 34% of our patients were under the influence of alcohol at the time of injury. Incidence of facial fracture in our series were fracture mandible, 39.3%, zygomatic 23.5%, Le Fort II 17.9% and nasoethmoid 12.3%. One case of Le Fort I, orbital and alveolar fracture was seen.

Conclusions Drunken driving in Punjab was behind one third i.e. 34% of the trauma patients in our casualty services.