Seven-year institutional experience in the surgical treatment of orbito-zygomatic fractures.

Introduction: Facial trauma is a common injury in the urban setting. Many studies have been published on the epidemiology of facial fractures, but few of them conducted in Brazil. The purpose of this study was to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of patients treated for orbito-zygomatic fractures at our institution.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 141 patients with orbito-zygomatic complex fractures who underwent surgical treatment between May 2001 and May 2008.

Results: The population studied consisted mostly of males (86.5% of patients), with a male:female ratio of 6.4:1. A marked predominance of patients aged 21-30 years was observed (34.3%). Traffic-related causes were the most common, with motorcycle accidents as the most frequent aetiology (24.8% of patients), followed by car accidents (19.2%) and interpersonal violence (15.2%). Associated injuries accounted for 88 lesions in 65 patients, and their occurrence was statistically associated with traffic-related causes. All patients enrolled in the study were managed with operative treatment. The most utilized method for treatment was internal fixation with miniplates and screws (83.7% of the cases). The complication rate was 24.8%.

Conclusion: Orbito-zygomatic fractures can cause significant morbidity and impairment in patients' quality of life. Despite recent improvements in legislation and educational campaigns, traffic remains the main cause of these injuries. More intensive efforts should be made in order to reduce its impact in the aetiology of facial trauma.