Initial Assessment of the Facial Trauma Patient

Semin Plast Surg 2021; 35: 225-228 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1735817The initial evaluation of the craniofacial trauma patient must be systematic, thorough, and consistent to ensure that injuries are not missed. Life-threatening conditions are first identified using ATLS principles, and focused head and neck examination conducted by a specialist then follows. Imaging is used to guide operative planning, as many craniofacial injuries ultimately benefit from repair to prevent permanent cosmetic or functional deformity. Peri-operative care is often multi-disciplinary in nature, and specialist consultation should be performed in an efficient fashion. Finally, it should be noted that surgeons operating in the maxillofacial region are at high risk for transmission of COVID-19, and risk of COVID-19 sequelae must be balanced with risks associated with the delay of treatment of craniofacial injury. [...] Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. 333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USAArticle in Thieme eJournals: Table of contents  |  Abstract  |  Full text
Source: Seminars in Plastic Surgery - Category: Cosmetic Surgery Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research