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Abstract: Objective: In a massive earthquake, cranio-maxillofacial trauma was common. The present study was to determine the features of cranio-maxillofacial trauma sustained in the massive Sichuan earthquake by multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT). Methods: The study included 221 consecutive patients (123 males and 98 females; age range, 1–83 years; median age, 35 years) with cranio-maxillofacial trauma in the Sichuan earthquake, who underwent cranio-maxillofacial MDCT scans. The image data were retrospectively reviewed focusing on the injuries of the cranio-maxillofacial soft tissue, facial bones and cranium. Results: All patients had soft tissue injuries frequently with foreign bodies. Ninety-seven (43.9%) patients had fractures (1.5 involved sites per patient, range from 1 to 8) including single cranial fractures in 36 (37.1%) cases, single maxillofacial fractures were seen in 48 (49.5%) and cranio-maxillofacial fractures in 13 (13.4%). Single bone fracture was more common than multiple bone fractures (p <0.05). Nasal, ethmoid bones and the orbits were the most commonly involved sites of the craniofacial region. Thirty-eight (17.2%) patients had intracranial injuries, the commonest being subarachnoid haemorrhage and the commonest sites were the temporal and frontal regions. Coexisting intracranial injuries were more common in patients with cranial fractures than in patients with maxillofacial fractures (p <0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicate that the cranio-maxillofacial trauma arising from the massive Sichuan earthquake had some characteristic features, and a significant number of individuals had the potential for combined cranial and maxillofacial injuries, successful management of which required a multidisciplinary approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the common features of earthquake-related injuries using radiography and computed tomography. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the radiography and multidetector computed tomography features of 1491 patients injured in 2008 Sichuan earthquake. We categorized patients by age group (<35, 35-64, and ≥65 years) and time to imaging. Injuries were categorized by anatomical distribution. Results: We detected earthquake-related trauma in 1197 patients (80.28%), including head injuries, facial fractures, thoracic injuries, abdominal injuries, pelvic fractures, spinal injuries, and extremity fractures in 91, 41, 354, 30, 204, 299, and 732 (61.15%) patients, respectively (χ 2 = 1844.747, P < .001). Injuries in 2 or more anatomical locations occurred in 384 cases. We discovered significant difference in the anatomical distribution of injuries among the 3 age groups (χ 2 = 104.113, P < .001) and among the time-to-imaging categories (χ 2 = 64.420, P < .001). Twenty-two patients (1.48%) eventually died. Abdominal injuries (B = 2.285, P = .004), head injuries (B = 2.194, P < .001), thoracic injuries (B = 1.989, P < .001), and age (B = 1.539, P < .001) were all associated with patient death. Conclusions: The Sichuan earthquake most commonly resulted in extremity fractures, but there was a high incidence of injuries to multiple body areas. Head, abdominal, and thoracic injuries and age older than 64 years all were significant risk factors for earthquake mortality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]