Citation

Bankole OO, Fasola AO, Denloye OO. Afr. J. Med. Med. Sci. 2004; 33(2): 93-97.

Affiliation

Department of Preventive Dentistry, College of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Spectrum Books)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

15565923

Abstract

A review of 64 soft tissue maxillofacial injuries in 50 children seen and managed at the University College Hospital, Ibadan over a five-year period was made. The age range was from 3months to 15years. The highest occurrence was in the 0-5 years old children (60%). The predominant type of soft tissue injuries was lacerations (75.0%). Falls (66.0%) were the most common aetiology followed by road traffic accidents (18.0%). There was a higher involvement of males, than females (M: F of 2.3:1). The tongue (31.3%) was the most commonly affected site of soft injury followed by the lips (29.7%) and cheeks (10.9%). Slightly less than half (46%) of the patients presented within 24 hours of injury. Direct suturing was done in 24% of the children while debridement and conservative management was carried out in 76%.