A Five Year Audit of Cases Admitted in Maxillofacial Surgery Wards in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Admissions of Maxillofacial surgery patient's are on the rise. However, search of English literature shows that there has not been any audit on pattern of maxillofacial admission done in any Nigerian hospital.

Objective To review the indications and pattern of maxillofacial surgery admission in a Nigerian Teaching hospital over a 5-year period.

Methods: A retrospective review of the pattern of maxillofacial admissions in a Teaching Hospital in North-West Nigeria from January 2011 to December 2015. Sources of information included maxillofacial ward admission records; patients' case files, accident and emergency records and patients discharge registers.

Results: One thousand one hundred and thirty (1,130) patients were admitted into the maxillofacial ward during the study period with an overall gender ratio of 1:1.25. 260 patients were admitted as emergencies while 870 patients were admitted on elective basis. Review of treatment given showed that reduction and immobilization/ arthroplasties had the highest frequency (29.38%) while sequestrectomies had the lowest frequency of 0.80%.

Conclusion: A progressive increase in the number of admission of patients into maxillofacial surgery wards shows that there is need for advocacy to improve the practice of the specialty in this region in terms of resources allocation and manpower development.

Keywords: Admission audit, Maxillofacial surgery, Retrospective studies, Tertiary care center