The Burden of Road Traffic Accidents on Facial Fractures: National Trends, Injury Patterns, and Disparities in 154,185 Patients

Study design: National database study.

Objective: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a common and challenging cause of facial fractures in the United States. The present study sought to utilize the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) to investigate national trends, injury patterns and disparities in facial fractures secondary to RTAs. To date, this is the first study to do so.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with primary facial fractures secondary to RTAs using the 2018-2021 HCUP-NIS. Patients were classified into the RTA and non-RTA group. Demographics, injury patterns, and inpatient outcomes were compared.

Results: In total, 154,185 primary facial fractures were identified, of which 17% (n = 26,115) were associated with RTAs. RTAs commonly involved cars (41%), followed by motorcycles (15%), pedestrians (11%), and bicyclists (10%). The RTA group was younger (34% vs 24% < 25 years, P < .01) and more frequently Hispanic (18% vs 15%, P < .01). The most common fracture types were mandibular (23%), frontal (14%), and orbital fractures (14%). The RTA group was 50% more likely to have multiple facial fractures (OR = 1.5, P < .01). The RTA group had a longer length of stay (5.3 vs 4.0 days, P < .01), admission charge ($127,932 vs $79,414, P < .01), and mortality rate (1.9% vs 1.4%, P < .01) than the non-RTA group.

Conclusions: The present findings provide valuable insights, informing early involvement of craniofacial surgeons for the assessment of combination facial fractures and tailored treatment approaches for RTA patients.