Although techniques in the trauma management have involved significantly, challenges still remain in one area, maxillofacial injuries in polytrauma patients. Due to its anatomical proximity to the brain , cervical spine, and airway, maxillofacial injuries may complicate the early management of trauma patients. This article reviews the challenges and pitfalls of the management options which are often modified or supplemented in such emergency situations.
Management of maxillofacial injuries which vary from simple nasal fractures to gross communition of the face can be extremely challenging. Injuries to this highly vascular zone are further complicated by the presence of upper airway and proximity to cranial and cervical structures. Practically, management of airway, breathing, and circulation are relatively well established in non-maxillofacial injuries; but injuries to this region and…
