Maxillofacial trauma

Diagnosis

History

• Evaluate for:
  • Facial numbness
    • Check supraorbital, infraorbital, and mental nerves
  • Misalignment of teeth
  • Vision changes

Inspection

• Bird's eye view for exophthalmos w/ retrobulbar hematoma
• Worm's view for endophthalmos (blow-out fx) or malar prominence flattening (zygoma fx)
• Raccoon eyes and Battle Sign

Palpation

• Intraoral palpation of zygomatic arch to distinguish bony from soft tissue injury
• Assess Le Fort by rocking hard palate w/ one hand while stabilizing forehead w/ other

Eye

• Acuity
• Diplopia
  • Binocular diplopia suggests entrapment of EOM
  • Monocular diplopia suggets lens dislocation
• Extraocular motion
  • Limitation on upward gaze occurs w/ fx of inf and medial orbital wall
• Pupil
  • Teardrop sign (globe rupture), hyphema, reactivity (swinging flashlight test)
• Pressure (only if r/o globe rupture)
  • Check in pts w/ exophthalmos, afferent nerve defect or e/o retrobulbar hematoma
• Fat through wound = septal perforation

Nose

• Crepitus over any facial sinus suggests sinus fx
• Septal hematoma
• Make sure simple nasal fx isn't a complex naso-orbito-ethmoid injury

Ears

• Auricular hematoma
• CSF leak
• Hemotympanum

Oral

• Mandible Fx
  • Place finger in auditory canal while pt opens and closes jaw to detect condyle fx
  • Tongue blade test
    • 95% Sn for no fx if can bite down hard enough to break it when twisted by examiner
  • Jaw deviation due to mandible dislocation or condyle fx
    • Chin will point away from dislocation, towards a fracture
• Malocclusion occurs in mandible, zygomatic, and Le Fort fx
• Lacerations and mucosal ecchymosis suggests mandible fx

Imaging

• Suspect midface fx > facial CT
• Suspect orbital floor fx > orbital CT
• Suspect mandibular Fx
  • Mandibular series
    • Body fx > oblique view
    • Angle/symphysis fx > PA view
    • Condyle fx > AP axial (Towne's) view
• Plain Films
  • Water's view
    • Orbital rims/floors, zygmatic arch, maxillary sinus, maxilla
  • Bucket handle view
    • zygomatic arches

DDx

• Frontal sinus fractures
  • If ant wall fx need CT to evaluate posterior wall (75% have both walls fractured)
  • Need neurosurg or ENT for posterior wall fx since many need surgery and IV abx
• Naso-ethmoid fractures
  • Diffuse tearing and increased intercanthal distance are suggestive
  • Intranasal palpation w/ hemostat while palpating along bony rim for crepitus
  • Complications include:
    • Lacrimal disruption
    • Medial canthal ligament rupture
    • Dural tears
    • Intracranial injury seen in up to 70%
• Nasal Fx
  • Clincal diagnosis (does NOT require xrays)
  • Drain septal hematomas and f/u w/ ENT in 7-10 day
• Zygomatic arch fracture
  • Unlikely isolated
• Tripod Fracture
  • Fx through:
    • 1. Inf orbital rim
    • 2. lateral orbital wall
    • 3. Fx/dislocation of zygomatic arch
  • Must r/o associated ocular injuries
  • Usually requires admission and surgical repair

Disposition

• Bedside consult is necessary for:

1. Decreased vision
2. Tripod fractures
3. Lefort fractures
4. Open mandibular fractures
5. Frontal sinus fractures with intracranial involvement

See Also

• Mandible Fx
• Orbital Blowout Fx

Source

Tintinalli's