Background: Complications mean a recurring problem in everyday clinical practice. Complication rates between 6 and 13% are described for the treatment of bony injuries to the head and neck area. This paper aims to provide a detailed analysis of the complications after osteosynthesis in facial skull fractures.
Material and method: In this retrospective study, we reviewed all patient records of injured treated in the Department of Cranial and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Dortmund General Hospital between 2015 and 2017.
Results: Of the 22,031 head and neck injuries, 685 were treated with osteosynthesis. A clinically significant complication was reported in 32 patients (4.76%). The number of total complications was 63. In total, 66.7% of all complications have been identified in the paramedian mandible (44%), median mandible, mandibular angle, and in the collar area (each 12.7%). Eleven implants (in 5 patients) showed a cancellous bone impaction. Broken implants have been recognized in two cases. In 8 cases, there was a pseudarthrosis in the fracture area; in one case, there was a broken implant and pseudarthrosis in combination.
Conclusion: Osteosynthesis is a safe method of treating facial skull fractures, which is why we consider it the gold standard of therapy. The complication rate is well below 5%. The 3-dimensional adaptation (bending) and shortening of the osteosynthesis implants do not lead to an increase in complications.
Keywords: Bone fracture; Bone healing; Complication; Injury; Maxillofacial; Osteosynthesis.