Complications associated with closed reduction technique in the treatment of mandibular fractures in Calabar, south-south Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of complications amongst 174 patients that had mandibular fractures and were treated by closed reduction at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar south-south Nigeria.
Methods: We carried out a prospective study of 174 patients with mandibular fracture treated by closed reduction technique at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar Nigeria over a 4-year period. The focus was on the complications developed during and after the treatments
Results: Of the 174 patients, 36 (20.7%) developed various forms of complications. Amongst the 36 patients, there were 53 different complications. The commonest complication recorded was infection 14 (26.4%) while the least was facial asymmetry and nonunion. According to the duration of onset, more complications were recorded under the intermediate than immediate and late categories. Complications were more common in the third decade of life, but least in the 7th decade. There were 29 (80.6%) males and 7(19.4%) females with a male to female ratio of 4.1:1.
Conclusion: Socioeconomic problems, treatments by quacks and wrong management of patients have been responsible for the occurrence of complications following mandibular fracture. However, the trend of occurrence of complications of mandibular fracture needs comparative analysis with a similar study carried out in the same environment to make a significant conclusion. This result of this study is therefore a baseline report on, which future studies are expected to use as reference point to determine the trends of occurrence in our environment.

Keywords: Mandibular fracture; Close reduction; Complications; Calabar, Nigeria