Assessment of the Pattern of Maxillofacial Injuries at a Tertiary Hospital in Sokoto State

Maxillofacial injuries cause significant facial disfigurement and functional impairment, and clinical audits of their patterns at referral centres in North West Nigeria inform emergency surgical service planning. This study assessed the pattern, aetiology, and management of maxillofacial injuries at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Sokoto State, over a five-year period (2018 to 2022). A retrospective review of 184 maxillofacial injury case records was conducted. Data extracted included patient demographics, mechanism of injury, fracture type and site, soft tissue injury description, associated injuries, management approach, and outcome. Road traffic accidents were the leading cause (58.7 percent), followed by physical assault (21.7 percent) and falls (12.5 percent). Mandibular fractures were the most common fracture type (47.8 percent), and zygomatic arch fractures constituted 18.5 percent. The parasymphyseal region was the most frequently fractured mandibular site. Males were affected four times more frequently than females. The mean age at injury was 28.3 years. Open reduction and internal fixation was performed in 61.4 percent of fracture cases. Post-operative complications included infection (11.4 percent) and malunion (7.1 percent). Recommendations include road safety advocacy, mandatory helmet and seatbelt legislation enforcement, and expansion of maxillofacial surgical capacity with improved implant availability at UDUTH Sokoto.

Keywords: maxillofacial injuries, road traffic accident, mandibular fracture, UDUTH Sokoto, facial trauma