Revista Cubana de Estomatología (May 2015)
Initial care of maxillofacial polytrauma patients: evaluation of the airway and circulation
Abstract
Introduction: facial traumatology is a branch of maxillofacial surgery requiring deep knowledge about disciplines such as anatomy, physiology and pathology, as well as their close relationship to other specialties, either surgical or not. Objective: carry out a bibliographic review about the care of maxillofacial polytrauma patients, highlighting aspects related to advanced trauma life support, particularly management of the airway with cervical spine stabilization, ventilation and circulation. Methods: a bibliographic review was performed which covered the period from December 2014 to January 2015. The evaluation included high impact journals from theWeb of Sciences (41 journals) and 6 books. The databases MEDLINE, PubMed and SciELO were consulted, using the search terms " maxillofacial trauma", "maxillofacial emergency", "emergency management" and "critical care", and their Spanish counterparts. The review included papers in English and Spanish, preferably published the last five years. Of the 147 papers obtained, the reviewers selected the 50 which approached the study topics in a more comprehensive manner. Data analysis and integration: Analysis of the representativeness of papers in scientific journals revealed that 6 % corresponded to the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Conclusions: effective care of maxillofacial polytrauma patients ensures satisfactory results, both in the preservation of life as from an esthetic and functional point of view. It is indispensable to have a good command of advanced trauma life support guidelines, particularly the management of the airway with stabilization of the cervical spine, ventilation and circulation.
