MAXILLOFACIAL INJURY
Diagnosis and management of common maxillofacial injuries in the emergency department. Part 3: orbitozygomatic complex and zygomatic arch fractures
1 Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Eire
2 Morriston hospital, Swansea, Wales, UK
Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Padraig Ó Ceallaigh
Maxillofacial Department, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, SA6 6NL, UK; ppoceallaigh@hotmail.com
Accepted 8 April 2006
Keywords: maxillofacial injury; emergency department; orbitozygomatic complex; zygomatic arch fractures
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
This is most commonly seen after assault, but any blow to the cheek may give rise to a fracture. Zygoma fractures are easy to miss and displaced fractures require treatment within 10 days. Untreated fractures may cause a cosmetic deformity (flattening of the cheek) or limited mandibular movement caused by the depressed zygoma impinging on the coronoid process of the mandible.
Enquire about the mechanism of injury; zygoma fractures usually occur after blunt trauma. Altogether, 70–90% of patients will complain of infra orbital/upper lip numbness on the affected side. This may involve the maxillary central, lateral, and/or canine teeth.
The affected side of face may be flattened when compared to the other side, although this can often be difficult to appreciate especially in the presence of swelling.
The patient may complain of a cosmetic defect on the affected side.
The patient may have epistaxis because of disruption of the membrane
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