FV Hospital receives a 22-year-old Turkish patient following a traffic accident and provides successful treatment to correct their facial injuries.

Nguyen Thanh Tung, MD, PhD, Head of Maxillofacial & Dental Department, FV Hospital, examined this patient after they had suffered multiple facial injuries with complex facial fractures in the nose-eye-ethmoid areas, cheekbones on both sides, jawbone and upper jaw. They also had a broken lower front tooth, a haematoma in the eye area, and swelling and heavy bleeding around the nose.

Images of a 22-year-old male Turkish patient following a traffic accident, before (3D rendering of facial bones), and after surgery (panoramic X-ray image)

After two hours in surgery, the patient’s maxillofacial area has been fully cleaned. Broken tooth roots, non-preservable bone fragments, inflammatory tissue, and haematomas were carefully evaluated and removed to avoid risk of infection during treatment. The broken bones in the upper jaw and cheekbones on both sides were fixed with braces to stabilise the upper and lower jaw areas to allow the jawbone to recover.

The patient quickly recovered after surgery and was able to communicate in the afternoon of the same day. They were prescribed a specific porridge diet until the jaw frames were removed to ensure they had optimal nutriention for recovery. The patient was discharged two days earlier than planned and decided to fly home to be taken care of by his family. Before the patient boarded the long flight to Turkey, Dr Tung gave him detailed instructions on what to do and what to avoid.

In Vietnam, the main means of transportation is by motorbike. The rate of injuries to the jaw and face areas due to traffic accidents accounts for 60 per cent to 70 per cent of cases as most helmets only protect the skull area. Open wounds may lead to serious consequences like face deformation, nose deviation, eyes injuries that affect the patient’s vision, facial skin damage, lost teeth, and malocclusion.

Facial wounds of the soft tissue treated at the maxillofacial department at FV are in areas such as around the eye, outside the ear and nose, and the nose, cheeks, lips and chin.

Dr Tung shared that, in addition to accidental injuries, FV’s Maxillofacial & Dental Department also receives emergency infection cases, such as a recent case of a 60-year-old patient with diabetes. The patient had squeezed acne on their face and caused an infection. The wound spread and because it wasn’t treated properly, the infection worsened.

When the patient arrived at FV Hospital for emergency care and samples were taken for testing, doctors discovered that they had abscesses in their legs. In addition, doctors discovered that the patient had a blood infection caused by multidrug-resistant staphylococcus. The patient required an urgent surgery for the abscess and was at high risk of septic shock. To ensure timely treatment, the Maxillofacial and Dental Department coordinated with orthopaedic surgeons at FV to perform the surgery, then with FV’s Endocrinology, Internal Medicine and Nutrition Departments to provide ongoing patient care.

Dr Tung advises that simple facial injuries to soft tissues are usually not difficult or time-consuming to treat in comparison with bone damage. However, if patients want to maintain their appearance without extensive scarring, patients should visit a hospital to see a specialist in Orthopaedics to be examined thoroughly and treated as quickly as possible.

Nguyen Thanh Tung, MD, PhD, Head of Maxillofacial & Dental Department, FV Hospital

Because FV is a general hospital, patients have the advantage of being treated in one location with comprehensive care and methodologies with support from various medical specialties. This approach ensures that patients receive the best international-standard care passible while removing the stress and costs associated with travelling abroad for medical care.