Citation

Hersant B, Cassier S, Constantinescu G, Gavelle P, Vazquez MP, Picard A, Kadlub N. Ann. Chir. Plast. Esthet. 2012; 57(3): 230-239.

Vernacular Title

Morsures de chien a la face chez l'enfant : etude retrospective de 77 cas.

Affiliation

Service de chirurgie maxillofaciale et plastique, hôpital d'enfants Armand-Trousseau, UFR Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie-Paris-6, AP-HP, 26, avenue du Docteur-Arnold-Netter, 75012 Paris, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.anplas.2011.11.003

PMID

22196398

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The face is the area most vulnerable for dog bites in children. Surgical management is an emergency to prevent infection, functional and aesthetic outcomes. The aim of this study was to define a new gravity scale, and to determine a prevention policy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In our maxillofacial and plastic surgery department, we conducted a retrospective study from 2002 to 2010, including 77 children under 16years old, victims of facial dog bite. We analyzed epidemiological, clinical data, surgical outcomes. RESULTS: The mean age was 5.36years. Dogs were principally represented by class I and II dogs; 27,7% of them had ever bitten before. In almost all the cases, the dogs belong to the family or closers. Twenty-one percent of children belong to an unfavourable social environment; 71.43% of dog bites interested the central area of the face. The bites were deep in 77% of cases with amputation or extensive loss of substance in 31% of cases. The healing time was 10.54months. Nearly a third of patients required several surgeries; 41.56% of patients had aesthetic and functional sequelae; 35.1% of children had psychological problems afterward. CONCLUSION: Facial children dog bites require a multidisciplinary approach, and a long-term follow-up. We propose a new classification of dog bite severity, more appropriate to the face.

Language: fr