Cranial fractures associated with facial fractures: a review of mechanism, type, and severity of injury

J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1994 Jul;52(7):729-33. doi: 10.1016/0278-2391(94)90488-x.

Abstract

A 100-month retrospective review was undertaken to identify the population characteristics of patients with both facial and cranial fractures and to establish the relationships between them. A 4.4% incidence of cranial fractures was found in the 882 patients with facial fractures. These patients tended to be males (85%) between the ages of 16 and 30 years (54%) who were involved in motor vehicle accidents (64%). Patients with midfacial fractures predominated (70%), and these injuries were most frequently associated with fractures of the frontal (38%), sphenoid (24%), or temporal (22%) bones. No relationship was noted between mandibular fractures and cranial fractures. Midfacial fractures were related to individual cranial bone fractures by sutural attachment. The presence of cranial fractures did not play a role in the development of complications associated with facial fractures.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Traffic
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Brain Injuries / classification
  • Brain Injuries / epidemiology
  • Brain Injuries / etiology
  • Child
  • Comorbidity
  • Facial Bones / injuries*
  • Female
  • Fractures, Ununited / epidemiology
  • Frontal Bone / injuries
  • Glasgow Coma Scale
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mandibular Fractures / epidemiology
  • Maxillary Fractures / epidemiology
  • Ohio / epidemiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Skull Fractures / classification
  • Skull Fractures / epidemiology*
  • Skull Fractures / etiology
  • Sphenoid Bone / injuries
  • Temporal Bone / injuries
  • Zygomatic Fractures / epidemiology