MAXILLOFACIAL TRAUMA IN BICYCLE INJURIES

About 15% of all traffic-related personal injuries involve bicycles. I n 1989, 67,085 injuries involving bicyclists were registrated in West Germany. The city of Munster is a particularly suitable site for studi es of bicycle-related injuries because a high percentage of employees and students ride bicycles to work. The severity of bicycle injuries d epends on the degree to which the head is traumatized. However, studie s concerning trauma to the head in bicycle-related injuries are rare. The risk and the distribution of facial injuries in bicyclists is anal yzed within the present study, which covers 78 patients with a total o f 88 cranial fractures. The zygomatic and alveolar and orbital regions were most frequently fractured (35%), including 7% blow-out fractures . Thirty-three percent were fractures of the mandibular region, 12% of the bony nose. The soft tissue of the face was injured in 72% of all patients. Middle-aged male patients are more likely to suffer severe b icycle-related injuries. Bicyclists with a significant blood alcohol c oncentration are more likely to be involved in accidents that are thei r own fault. The results show that the helmets generally worn are not sufficient to prevent most facial injuries.