Maxillofacial injuries and life-threatening hemorrhage: treatment with transcatheter arterial embolization.

BACKGROUND

There are many reasons for hypotension in trauma patients with multiple injuries; one uncommon source is facial fractures. The treatment algorithm is volume replacement and local control of the bleeding. A retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the treatment of patients with life-threatening hemorrhage secondary to facial fractures, and to develop a treatment algorithm.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was undertaken to determine the incidence of hemorrhagic shock in patients with facial fractures exclusive of others sources, and the use of transcatheter arterial embolization to control the bleeding was evaluated.

RESULTS

Over a 4-year period, 7562 patients were treated at Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital, a Level I trauma center. There were 912 patients with facial injuries, with 11 of these patients presenting with life-threatening hemorrhage secondary to facial fractures. The incidence of life-threatening hemorrhage from facial fracture was 1.2%. The mechanism of injury was blunt in 10 patients and penetrating in 1. The blunt injuries resulted from six motor vehicles crashes, three motorcycle crashes, and one plane crash. The one penetrating injury was a shotgun blast. There were six patients with Le Fort III fractures, two patients with Le Fort II fractures, and three patients with a combination of Le Fort II and III fractures bilaterally. The average volume infused before the embolization was 7 L; this included blood and crystalloid. There were four complications: two minor groin hematomas, one partial necrosis of the tongue, and one facial nerve palsy. There were two deaths, both secondary to concomitant intracranial injury as a result of blunt trauma.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of severe hemorrhage secondary to facial fractures is rare; however, it can be life threatening. When common modalities of treatment such as pressure, packing, and correction of coagulopathy fail to control the hemorrhage, transcatheter arterial embolization offers a safe alternative to surgical control.