Citation

Royan SJ, Hamid AL, Kovilpillai FJ, Junid NZ, Mustafa WM. Gerodontology 2008; 25(2): 124-128.

Affiliation

Department of Oral Surgery, Melaka Hospital, Melaka, Malaysia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1741-2358.2007.00189.x

PMID

18485141

Abstract

Background: This paper describes the incidence, aetiology, treatment and complications of facial fractures seen among the elderly in a developing country. Methods: A prospective study evaluated 85 patients over 60 years of age who were diagnosed with facial fractures over a period of 12 months in 23 public hospitals nationwide. Results: The elderly accounted for 4.5% of the total number of patients seen with facial fractures during the study period. Elderly men outnumbered women by a ratio of 4.31:1. Of the elderly patients, 35.3% had at least one medical condition, the commonest of which was hypertension. Road traffic accidents were the main cause of injury. The fractures were treated in only 26.2% of cases. Complications were uncommon. Conclusions: With a low incidence, and conservative treatment often being practised, the healthcare burden of treating facial fractures among the elderly in Malaysia is at present still low.

Language: en