Guo et al reported risk factors for infection of a soft tissue injury that requires suture closure. These can help to identify a patient who may require more aggressive management. The authors are from Peking University in Beijing.
Patient selection: maxillofacial soft tissue injury
Parameters:
(1) age of the patient in years
(2) wound length in cm
(3) intra-oral wound
(4) communicating wound (presumably to the oral cavity, nasal cavity, or paranasal sinus)
(5) experience of surgeon
(6) site of injury
Parameter
Finding
Odds Ratio
age
< 18 years
1
18 to 44 years
2.2
45 to 64
3.1
>= 65 years
2.6
wound length
< 4 cm
4 to 8 cm
1.7
> 8 cm
2.4
intra-oral wound
no
yes
1.6
communicating wound
3.2
experience of surgeon
junior
more senior
site of surgery
lip
3.7
cheek
4.7
other
cumulative product of odds ratios =
= PRODUCT(OR for each of the parameters)
Factors not found to be significant:
(1) ASA grade
(2) wound contamination
(3) diabetes
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Specialty: Infectious Diseases
