MAXILLOFACIAL INJURIES IN WOMEN

Although maxillofacial injuries account for a large number of hospital admissions, there appear to be only a few reports detailing the etiol ogy and pattern of facial injuries in women. To delineate this problem , we performed a retrospective chart review of all women admitted to U niversity of California, Davis Medical Center with traumatic facial in juries from July 1, 1990, to June 30, 1992. Motor vehicle accidents we re the primacy etiology, followed by assaults. The mandible was the mo st commonly injured facial bone. In a closer evaluation of female pati ents injured by assault, we found inadequate documentation describing the circumstances surrounding their facial injuries. This indicates th at domestic violence and other forms of assaults against women may be severely underreported and has important implications for health care professionals who must always suspect physical abuse in any woman who presents with maxillofacial injuries without an obvious, known etiolog y.