Machete‑cut injuries are occurring in the maxillofacial region in Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

Five cases of machete cut injuries to the maxillofacial region seen over a period of 8 months (January‑September, 2012), at the Maxillofacial Unit of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria, are presented. The severity of the injuries is evident from the extent of tissue disruption as shown in the pictures. The immediate threats to life in the cases were hemorrhage and airway obstruction. Surgical repairs were performed under local anesthetic infiltration in three cases while the rest were performed under general anesthesia. There was no nerve repair done due to lack of facilities, although, adequate apposition of soft and hard tissues were achieved. Four patients had rapid postoperative recovery in our facility while one absconded after wound debridement and repair was achieved. Two patients who had nerve injuries were followed‑up to monitor recovery of the injured nerves. There was no tetanus, gangrene, pseudoaneurysm or death recorded in our cases. There is a need for relevant authorities to check the occurrence of this kind of injury, especially as the weapon used is a house‑hold tool, which is readily available and accessible to all and sundry.

Keywords: Airway obstruction, hemorrhage, machete‑cut, maxillofacial region