Appraisal of the pattern of Mandibular Fractures treated at a Nairobi center over a 2 -year period.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the etio-demographic pattern of mandibular fractures and the manage¬ment modalities used among patients seen at the University of Nairobi Dental Hospital (UDH) and the Ken¬yatta National Hospital (KNH) between the years 2006-2008, Patient clinical records were manually examined to retrieve vital information including sex, age, residence and occupation of the patient. The cause and site of mandibular fractures were recorded together with management modalities and post-management complica¬tions. Records of one hundred and fifteen cases of mandibular fractures were examined comprising (103) 89.4% males and (12) 10.6% females. The age ranged from 16 to 65 years with a median age group of21-30 years (38.1%). The commonest site for mandibular fractures was the body 50 (43.3%). Road traffic Injury (RT!) 48 (42.1 %) followed by Interpersonal Violence (IPV) 41 (36%) was the leading aetiological agents. Fourty six percent (53) of the cases were managed by closed reduction and 6 (5.3%) cases of post management infection were recorded. The study generally compares with previous studies on the pattern of mandibular fractures. However, open reduction was noted to be the most frequent management modality unlike other studies done in Africa where closed reduction was used more often