Operative management of equine-related maxillofacial trauma presenting to a Melbourne level-one trauma centre over a six-year period.

This research investigates the kind of injuries from horse-related accidents that needed surgical intervention at a Melbourne-based trauma center over six years. It found that kicks were the most common cause of these injuries, which were predominantly naso-orbitoethmoidal and orbital fractures, and often required inpatient treatment.

Study Design and Methodology

• The study analyzed equine-related maxillofacial trauma cases that were managed surgically between 2011 to 2016 in a level-one trauma centre in Melbourne.
• A total of 28 patients consisting of 16 females and 12 males ranging in age from 16 to 76 years old were identified from a comprehensive database encompassing all surgically managed maxillofacial injury cases.

Data Collection

• In order to comprehend the nature and scope of the injuries, the study gathered data on patients’ demographics, mechanisms and patterns of injuries, and how these injuries were managed.

Findings

• The most common cause of injury was from being kicked by a horse (16 instances). This cause was associated with the occurrence of multiple injuries.
• Half of the patients sustained injuries limited to the midface region. The most commonly observed fractures were naso-orbitoethmoidal (NOE) and orbital fractures; areas of the skull surrounding the eyes and nose.
• Among all the fractures recorded (those requiring surgical intervention and those that did not), 44 out of 54 were managed using internal fixation – a surgical method of stabilizing a fracture.
• The data shows a perfectly balanced split in treatment, with half of the patients being managed as inpatients and half as outpatients. Although the total duration of hospital stay was longer for inpatients, the postoperative period was the same for both inpatients and outpatients.

Demographics and Context

• The study found that a large number of equine-related maxillofacial injuries were sustained by young women.
• In terms of the specific area of the face affected, the midface was the most commonly injured region.
• The research also revealed that a higher number of injuries occurred to unmounted individuals, particularly due to kicks, compared to those caused by falling off a horse.