Etiology, Prevalence, and Management of Oral and Maxillofacial Soft Tissue Injuries in Children at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi-Ghana

Background: Maxillofacial injury may vary from simple soft tissue lacerations to complex fractures of the orofacial region. Soft tissue injuries, whether isolated or in combination with other injuries, form part of the frequent traumatic craniofacial injuries seen at the emergency department. The force of impact and the injury type is directly related to the severity of the injury sustained. This study aimed to analyze the etiological factors, prevalence, and management of oral and maxillofacial soft tissue injuries at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Methods: This was a prospective study that involved children presenting with oral and maxillofacial injuries at the Accident and Emergency Department and the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi between the period of April to October 2020 (6 months). Patient selection was by convenience sampling targeting all children with injuries who met the inclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria were children below the age of 18 years whose parents or caregivers consent to participation. Children with maxillofacial injuries as a result of burns were excluded from the study. Results: During the study period a total of 134 children were reviewed with oral and maxillofacial injuries at KATH. Of these, 107 (78.9%) were recorded cases of orofacial soft tissue injuries. There were 63 (58.9%) males and 44 (41.1%) females and the male-to-female ratio was 1.5:1. The age range of patients studied was 8 months – 17 years, with mean age ± SD being 9.5 ± 5.3 years. Road Traffic Crash (50.5%) was the most common etiology of which Motor cycle crash constituted 24.3% and Pedestrian knockdown was 19.6%. Falls (42.1%) were the next most common etiology. The lips (19.8%) and the forehead (18.5%) were the most frequently injured sites on the face whiles the tongue (3.3%) had the most injuries intraorally. Laceration (45.7%) was the most frequent injury reviewed, followed by abrasions (35.8%). Most of the soft tissue injuries underwent primary closure (56.3%). A complication rate of 21.2% was recorded in this study and hypertrophic scarring (11.3%) was the most observed.

Terrorist attacks in the largest metropolitan city of Pakistan: Profile of soft tissue and skeletal injuries from a single trauma center

BACKGROUND: Pakistan has been hugely struck with massive bomb explosions(car and suicide bombs) resulting in multiple casualties in the past few years. The aim of this study is to present the patterns of skeletal and soft tissue injuries and to review the outcome of the victims who presented to our hospital.METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review from January 2008 to December 2012. The medical record numbers of patients were obtained from the hospital Health Information and Management Sciences(HIMS) as per the ICD-9 coding.RESULTS: During the study period, more than 100 suicide and implanted bomb blast attacks took place in the public proceedings, government offices, residential areas and other places of the city. Altogether 262 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients was 31±14 years. The shrapnel inflicted wounds were present on to the upper limb in 24 patients and the lower limb in 50.CONCLUSION: Long bone fractures were the most common skeletal injuries. The fractures were complicated by penetrating fragments and nails which result in post operative infections and prolonged hospital stay.

Minimizing treatment complexity of combat-related soft tissue injuries using a dedicated tension relief system and negative pressure therapy augmented by high-dose in situ antibiotic therapy and oxygen delivery: a retrospective study

Background:Following combat-related,extensive soft tissue injury from gunshot wounds or blasts,prolonged duration from injury to full wound closure is associated with infection,increased morbidity and mortality,failure to mobilize,poor functional outcome and increased cost.The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel treatment enabling early primary closure of combat wounds.Methods:This was a retrospective study of 10 soldiers and civilians with extensive combat-related soft tissue limb injuries(5 gunshot wounds,5 blasts)treated using the TopClosure^(■)Tension Relief System(TRS)with simultaneous administration of regulated oxygen-enriched and irrigation negative pressure-assisted wound therapy(ROINPT)via the Vcareα^(■)device.Results:Nine patients were treated during the acute phase of injury and one was treated following removal of a flap due to deep infection 20 years after injury and flap reconstruction.Two patients had upper limb injury and the rest lower limb injury.With the aid of the TRS and/or ROINPT,immediate primary closure during reconstruction was achieved in 6 patients and delayed primary closure in three.Only one patient required a skin graft to close a small area of the wound after most of the wound had been closed by delayed primary closure.Wound closure was achieved within 0–37 days(median:12.5 days,interquartile range:2.75–19.75)from injury.Conclusions:The TRS is a novel device for effective,early skin stretching and secure wound closure through the application of stress relaxation and mechanical creep,achieving primary closure of large defects using a simplified surgical technique and reducing the need for closure using skin grafts and flaps and the use of tissue expanders.Delivering supplemental oxygen to the wound by ROINPT reverses the reduced oxygen levels inherent in conventional negative pressure-assisted wound therapy,mitigating anaerobic contamination and reducing infection.Irrigation may accelerate the evacuation of infectious material from the wound and provide a novel method for antibiotic administration.The combination of TRS and ROINPT devices allow for early primary closure with improved functionality of combat-related limb injuries.

Is it time to put traditional cold therapy in rehabilitation of soft-tissue injuries out to pasture?

Cold therapy has been used regularly as an immediate treatment to induce analgesia following acute soft-tissue injuries,however,a prolonged ice application has proved to delay the start of the healing and lengthen the recovery process.Hyperbaric gaseous cryotherapy,also known as neurocryostimulation,has shown the ability to overcome most of the limitations of traditional cold therapy,and meanwhile promotes the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects well,but the current existing studies have shown conflicting results on its effects.Traditional cold therapy still has beneficial effect especially when injuries are severe and swelling is the limiting factor for recovery after soft-tissue injuries,and therefore no need to be entirely put out to pasture in the rehabilitation practice.Strong randomized controlled trials with good methodological quality are still needed in the future to evaluate the effects of different cryotherapy modalities.

Therapeutic Effect and Mechanism of Jipei Dilong Ointment on Acute Soft Tissue Injury in Rats

[Objectives]This study was conducted to observe the therapeutic effect of Jipei Dilong Ointment on rats with acute soft tissue injury caused by heavy objects and to explore its action mechanism.[Methods]Thirty six rats were randomly divided into six groups(control group,model group,high-dose Jipei Dilong Ointment group(JP-H),medium-dose Jipei Dilong Ointment group(JP-M),low-dose Jipei Dilong Ointment group(JP-L)and diclofenac group).Except for the Control group,other groups were subjected to modeling of acute soft tissue injury by the weight impact method.All administration was performed once a day for nine consecutive days.The local appearance score and activity disorder score were determined after soft tissue injury in rats.HE staining was used to detect the pathological changes of injured soft tissues in rats.RT-PCR was used to detect the relative mRNA expressions of Bax,Bcl-2,MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in injured soft tissues of rats.Western Blot was used to detect the protein expressions of MMP-9,TIMP-1,TLR4,MyD88 and NF-κB p65 in injured soft tissues of rats.Results were statistically analyzed.[Results]Compared with the model group,Jipei Dilong Ointment could significantly improve the appearance symptoms such as swelling and ecchymosis in the injured area and the movement function of the affected limb(P<0.05).It could also improve the infiltration of inflammatory cells and widening of the intermuscular space caused by injury.Among them,the JP-H group and the diclofenac group had more significant curative effects.After 9 d of administration,each administration group could significantly up-regulate the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax mRNA expression level(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 mRNA expression level showed a downward trend(P>0.05).The expression level of NF-κB p65 protein in each administration group was significantly decreased(P<0.01).The protein expression levels of TLR4 and MyD88 and the ratio of MMP-9/TIMP-1 protein expression level in each administration group decreased to varying degrees.Among them,the JP-H group and diclofenac group significantly decreased(P<0.05).[Conclusions]Jipei Dilong Ointment has the functions of relieving pain,swelling and inflammation.It could improve the local appearance,functional activity and tissue morphology of affected limbs in rats,and has a therapeutic effect on acute soft tissue injury in rats.Its mechanism of action might be related to the inhibition of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway and the regulation of Bcl-2/Bax and MMP-9/TIMP-1 balance.

Observation on Therapeutic Effect in Acupuncture Treatment of Soft Tissue Injuries by Differentiation of Deficient and Excessive Patterns

Objective： To compare the therapeutic effects between the needling method by identification of deficient and excessive patterns and the needling method by routine meridian differentiation in the treatment of soft tissue injuries. Methods. 380 cases of the patients with soft tissue injuries were randomly divided into pattern identification group （200 cases, with the needling method by identification of deficient and excessive patterns） and meridian identification group （180 cases, with the needling method by routine meridian differentiation）, to observe and compare the therapeutic effects in the two groups. Results： The curative effect was 86% in the pattern identification group and 31.11% in the meridian identification group, with a significant difference （P〈 0.01）. In comparison with the total average treatment times in the cured and improved cases, the pattern identification group was 8.8 days and the meridian identification group was 15.6 days, with a remarkable significant difference （P〈 0.01）. The pattern identification group was better than the meridian identification group. Conclusion： In the treatment of soft tissue injuries, the needling method by identification of deficient and excessive patterns was better than the needling method by routine meridian differentiation.

Mechanism of Olibanum and Myrrha for the Acute Soft Tissue Injury Based on Network Pharmacology

Objective The objective of this study was to screen the therapeutic target of olibanum and myrrha on acute soft tissue injury(ASTI)by network pharmacology and to clarify their mechanisms.Methods The main chemical constituents and the targets of olibanum and myrrha were obtained by using traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform database.The disease targets of ASTI were searched by GeneCards.The intersection targets of herbs and diseases were selected for protein interaction analysis,protein–protein interaction network was constructed,and potential protein functional modules in the network were explored.A compound–target–disease network was constructed using Cytoscape3.8.2 software.The targets were analyzed by gene ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis based on the Metascape database.Results The core active components of olibanum and myrrha were quercetin,β-sitosterol,and stigmasterol.The core targets were PGR,NCOA2,PTGS2,PRKCA,and NR3C2.Pathways in cancer,AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications might play a potential role in olibanum and myrrha in the treatment of ASTI.Conclusion Olibanum and myrrha have the characteristics of multiple components,multiple targets,and overall regulation in the treatment of ASTI.

TREATMENT OF SOFT TISSUE INJURY BY PUNCTURING CLEFT-POINTS

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture of "Xi" (Cleft) points in treatment of soft tissue injury. Methods: 335 cases of soft tissue injury patients were divided into Cleft point group (264 cases) and Ashi point group (control group, 71 cases) randomly. In Cleft point group, the 16 Cleft points were used in combination with Ahshi points. In control group, only local Ahshi points were punctured. The treatment was conducted once every day, with 5 sessions being a therapeutic course. After 2 courses of treatment, the therapeutic effect was analyzed. Results: Results showed that the therapeutic effect of cleft point group was significantly better than that of control group (P<0.05), particularly in treatment of acute soft tissue. Conclusion: Cleft point acupuncture has a better therapeutic effect in treatment of soft tissue injury in comparison with Ashi point.

Soft tissue compartment bleed-the iceberg phenomenon:a case report

Introduction:Hemorrhage control is the essence of trauma care.Conventional teaching is 1 on the floor(ie,external bleeding)and 4 more(thoracic cavity,abdomen,retroperitoneum,and long bones).In this case report,we present a unique case with concealed bleeding into the soft tissue compartment leading to shock.This case triggered to consider the soft tissue compartment as the sixth potential bleeding site in trauma patients in hemorrhagic shock.Case presentation:We present the case with concealed bleeding into the soft tissue compartment posing a challenge in management.On presentation,he had a pulse rate of 117 beats/min,a blood pressure of 90/60mmHg,and a Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS)score of 9.During resuscitation,the patient's blood pressure dropped to 70/46 mmHg with a GCS of 7 of 15.He was then intubated and reevaluated.Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the torso revealed a right scapular fracture with a large soft tissue hematoma along the right side of the neck and chest wall,extending up to the right lumbar region.Conclusion:We suggest that the soft tissue compartment is the sixth potential site of internal bleeding in trauma patients,which should not be overlooked after having ruled out the other 5 sites.

Microsurgical repair at early stage for soft tissue defect of limbs wounded by modern firearm

Objective: To explore an early stage repair method for soft tissue defect of limbs of modern firearm wound, and to improve treating result. Methods: Defects of the hind limbs of dogs were repaired with skin, muscle and myocutaneous flaps. Results: Wounds healed within 2 weeks in the experimental group except one that healed in 3 weeks because of infection. Limb function was close to normal. The treatment result was better in the experimental group than the control. Conclusions: Skin, muscle and myocutaneous flaps can cover soft tissue defect at an early stage, prevent and reduce infection, promote the healing and recovery of combined injury, reduce the time of treatment and disability rate.

Experience on diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue injury by acupuncture and moxibustion

Several problems about acupuncture and moxibustion for treatment of soft tissue injury are probed in the present paper. The author holds that for treatment of soft tissue injury with acupuncture and moxibustion, firstly, must clarify the lesion location, so as to understand pathogenic characteristics and select the best acupuncture forcing point; secondly, must distinguish different stages of the disease, so as to select the best proper acupuncture stimulation method according to different pathological mechanisms in acute and chronic stages. Finally, the author analyzes different stimulation characteristics and indications according to own experience on clinical commonly-used several acupuncture and moxibustion stimulation methods such as filiform needle, acupoint injection, micro-needle therapy including ear acupuncture, abdomen acupuncture, eye acupuncture and so on, and blood-letting puncturing and cupping, fire needle and small needle-knife, and puts forward own treatment points of view.

Acupuncture Treatment of Superficial Pain by Subcutaneous Needling

Subcutaneous needling is an old art of the 'twelve needling methods' in TCM for treating arthralgia due to cold or disorders in the superficial tissues. Some cases are effectively treated as introduced below.……

Nervus cutaneus femoris posterior pedicle flap for repairing large soft tissue defects at the heel or inferior segment of the shank

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of the nervus cutaneus femoris posterior pedicle flap on repairing large soft tissue defects at the heel or inferior segment of the shank.Methods: Totally 14 cases were followed up for 8-22 months (mean 15.5 months) to observe the clinical effects of nervus cutaneus femoris posterior pedicle flap on repairing large soft tissue defects of the heel or inferior segment of the shank. Among them, there were 3 patients afflicted with infection and cutaneous defects in the middle and inferior segment of the shank after internal fixation of open fracture, 4 patients with soft tissue defects of the ankle and uncovered tendo calcaneus, and 7 patients with soft tissue defects of the heel and exposed calcaneus.Results: The flaps survived well in 13 cases and partial necrosis occurred in 1 case that was thereafter cured with changing dressing. Various extents of pain and stiffness of the knee joints were present in all cases and disappeared through 1-8 weeks' (mean 3.2 weeks) functional exercises. The last follow-up showed that all the flaps kept good texture and satisfactory appearance.Conclusions: The nervus cutaneus femoris posterior pedicle flap, having the advantages of simple surgical procedures, anastomosing the nerves and restoring the sensation of recipient site, can be used for recovering large soft tissue defects of the shank and ankle.

Repair of a soft tissue defect of medial malleolus with cross-leg bridge free transfer of anterolateral thigh muscle flap： a case report

A 38-year-old man sustained a traffic accident injury to his right medial malleolus and leg. It was an open fracture of the right tibia and fibula accompanied by a large soft tissue defect of the right medial malleolus sized 12 cmx4 cm. Doppler examination revealed that the tibialis posterior vessel was occluded due to thrombosis. The anterior tibial artery was patent. Three weeks after injury, the left anterolateral thigh muscle flap was harvested and transplanted to the right medial malleolus defect area for repair of the soft tissue defect, and an end-to-side anastomosis was performed between the posterior tibial vessel of the contralateral leg and the muscle flap＇s vascular pedicle.A split thickness free skin graft was used to cover the muscle flap and around the flap＇s vascular pedicle. The vascular pedicle was cut off after 28 days and the muscle flap survived completely. After 3-year follow-up postoperatively, the right tibia and fibula fractures were confirmed healing radiologically. The posterior tibial artery of contralateral leg was patent by clinical and Doppler examinations. This technique can be used to preserve the flow and patency of recipient arteries.

Minimally invasive treatment of forearm double fracture in adult using Acumed forearm intramedullary nail: A case report

BACKGROUND Currently,open reduction internal fixation is the conventional surgical method for treatment of double ulna and radius fracture.However,open reduction is associated with a high risk of complications.This case of forearm double fracture involved a patient treated using an Acumed intramedullary nail.The patient experienced good follow-up outcomes.The Acumed forearm intramedullary nail enables early functional exercise and hastens healing of the fracture.Few studies have reported on the use of this approach for the treatment of fractures.CASE SUMMARY A 23-year-old male patient was admitted to hospital after 5 h of pain,swelling,and limited activity of left forearm caused by a careless fall.Physical examination showed stable basic vital signs,swelling of the left forearm,and severe pain when pressing on the injured part of the forearm.Further,friction was felt at the broken end of the bone;the skin was not punctured.Movement of the left hand was normal,and the left radial artery pulse was normal.Three-dimensional computed tomography examination showed an ulna fracture of the left forearm and comminuted fracture of the radius.The fracture was located in the upper third of the radius,with significant displacement on the fracture side.Clinical diagnosis further confirmed the left radius comminuted fracture and ulna fracture.After analyzing the fracture pattern,age,and other patient characteristics,we chose an Acumed nail for treatment and achieved good follow-up outcomes.CONCLUSION Acumed forearm intramedullary nail for fixation of ulna and radius fracture reduced complication risk and resulted in good follow-up outcomes.

Clinical observation of auricular acupoint therapy for pain in early-stage extremity trauma

Objective： To observe the efficacy of auricular acupoint sticking based on conventional treatment in treating pain in early-stage extremity trauma. Methods： A hundred eligible patients with acute soft tissue injury or acute closed fracture were randomized into an observation group and a control group by their admission sequence, 50 cases in each group. The two groups both received routine management including routine checking, external fixing, traction, raising up the affected limb, etc., as well as cold compress with Chinese medication （Xiao Zhong Zhi Tong Powder）. In addition to the routine management, the control group was given oral administration of amidopyrine and phenacetin compound tablet, I tablet per dose, twice a day, which was then taken only when necessary or terminated after pain subsided. The observation group was given auricular acupoint sticking in addition to the routine management. The two groups were compared in terms of numerical rating scale （NRS） score, therapeutic efficacy and adverse reactions after pain was relieved. Results： After the intervention, the NRS scores dropped significantly in both groups （P〈0.01）; the NRS score in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group （P〈0.05）. The total effective rate in the observation group was superior to that in the control group （P〈0.05）. There were no severe adverse reactions in the two groups. Conclusion： Based on routine management, auricular acupoint sticking can produce a more significant efficacy in treating pain in early-stage extremity trauma compared to amidopyrine and phenacetin compound tablet; it can effectively reduce pain of the affected limb and prevent complications; it＇s easy-to-operate and safe; patients can learn and understand it easily; its efficacy is confirmed; it enhances the satisfaction degree of the inpatients. Therefore, this method is worth promoting in clinic.

A totally laparoscopic peritoneal free flap for reconstruction of hand

Management of defects on the hand and foot with exposed tendons remains a major challenge for plastic surgeons. Here, we present a case of hand reconstruction with a totally laparoscopic peritoneal flap. The anterior rectus sheath was preserved in situ. The peritoneal free flap supplied by peritoneal branches of the deep inferior epigastric artery was retrieved by laparoscopy to cover the soft tissue defect of the hand. The defect of the dorsal hand was 17 cm × 12 cm. The peritoneal flap measuring 22 cm × 15 cm survived completely without any complications. A following split-thickness skin graft offered the suc- cessful wound closure. Motor and sensory function improved gradually within the first year follow-up. The totally laparoscopic peritoneal free flap is a good choice for reconstruction of the soft tissue de- fects accompanied by exposed tendons on the hand and foot.

Clinical Study on Auricular Acupoint Penetration Needling along the Skin for Treatment of A Variety of Pain Syndrome and Dysfunction

This paper is a summary of clinical studies on auricular acupoint penetration needling along the skin for treatment of pain and dysfunction in recent 10 years.Auricular acupoint penetration needling along the skin was used to observe rapid analgesic effects and clinical efficacy on cervical spondylopathy,periarthritis of shoulder,pain in waist and lower extremities,migraine,and other peripheral neuropathic pain,and stroke sequels,soft tissue injury,and so on.Self-control method was used in the studies at the first stage,and clinically randomized control trial methodwas used for systematic comparison with other therapies at the second stage.Results indicated that the auricular acupoint penetration needling along the skin had obviously clinical effects on cervical spondylopathy,periarthritis of shoulder,pain in waist and lower extremities,migraine,soft tissue injuries and stroke sequels,with a better rapid analgesic effect as compared with ear perpendicular needling method.

Dual split and dislocation——a variant of Schatzker type-I tibial plateau fracture: A case report

Schatzkter type-I tibial plateau fracture is a split fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in sagittal plane,consequent to valgus impaction caused by low velocity of trauma.However,a deep understanding of the different columns of the tibial plateau and patho-mechanisms of the injury led to the unmasking of atypical fractures around the tibial plateau.We have encountered 2 cases with unusual fracture pattern of the lateral tibial condyle caused by road traffic accidents.The fracture pattern and severity of injury deviate from the original description of Schatzker type 1;in view of dual plane split,there is rotation of the posterolateral column fragment along its sagittal plane plus grade-III medial collateral ligament injury.The patients were initially treated with knee spanning external fixator and after a latency of 5 days,definitive fracture specific fixation was done,combined with repair of grade-III medial collateral ligament injury.At the 6 months follow-up both the patients achieved satisfactory knee functions(knee society score case 1:100 and case 2:92)and returned to their jobs.The severity of fracture pattern and displacement as described should prompt for examination of associated ligament injury.Because of timely diagnosis,early and appropriate care promised an excellent function outcome even in such a severe nature of knee injury.To prompt the description of injury pattern we coined the name"dual split and dislocation"of lateral tibial plateau,as a complex injury variant of split fracture of lateral tibial plateau fracture.