Facial Fracture

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• A facial fracture is a condition when one or more bones in your face are broken. Your face is made up of many bones connected to each other. These include the bones of your orbit (around your eye), zygoma (cheekbones), nose, and jaw. These bones may be broken when you have an injury to your face. A break in one or more of your facial bones may also cause damage to your nearby tissue. The muscles or nerve around your eyeball may also get pinched in between these fractures.
  
  
• Facial fractures may be caused by work or sporting accidents, traffic accidents, an assault, or fall. You may have bleeding, bruising, scrapes, or numbness in the injured area of your face. You may also have trouble seeing or have double vision. A computed tomography (CT) scan, ultrasound, and x-rays of your face may be needed. Treatment may include medicines, an endoscopy, or surgery to fix your broken facial bones. Having your facial fracture treated may resolve your swelling and pain. Treatment may also fix your broken facial bones and save your life.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

Medicines:

• Keep a list of your medicines: Keep a written list of the medicines you take, the amounts, and when and why you take them. Bring the list of your medicines or the pill bottles when you see your caregivers. Do not take any medicines, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbs, or food supplements without first talking to caregivers.
  
  
• Take your medicine as directed: Always take your medicine as directed by caregivers. Call your caregiver if you think your medicines are not helping or if you feel you are having side effects. Do not quit taking your medicines until you discuss it with your caregiver.
  
  
• Antibiotics: This medicine is given to fight or prevent an infection caused by bacteria. Always take your antibiotics exactly as ordered by your caregiver. Keep taking this medicine until it is completely gone, even if you feel better. Stopping antibiotics without your caregiver's OK may make the medicine unable to kill all of the germs. Never "save" antibiotics or take leftover antibiotics that were given to you for another illness.
  
  
• Decongestant medicine: Your caregiver may give you decongestants to decrease swelling in your nose and sinuses (air filled spaces). Decongestant medicine may also help you breathe easier.
  
  
• Pain medicine: You may be given medicine to take at home to take away or decrease pain. Your caregiver will tell you how much to take and how often to take it. Take the medicine exactly as directed by your caregiver. Do not wait until the pain is too bad before taking your medicine. The medicine may not work as well at controlling your pain if you wait too long to take it. Tell caregivers if the pain medicine does not help, or if your pain comes back too soon.
  
  
• Steroids: Steroid medicine may be given to decrease inflammation, which is redness, pain, and swelling.

Follow up visit information: You may need follow-up imaging tests to check how your facial fracture is healing. You may also need a follow-up eye exam. Ask your caregiver when to return for these tests. Keep all appointments. Write down any questions you may have. This way you will remember to ask these questions during your next visit.

Dental care: You may need to see a caregiver who fixes damaged or broken teeth. Dental or orthodontic treatment may also be needed if you have a malocclusion from your injury. Ask your caregiver for more information about dental care.

Diet: You may not be able to eat solid food for a period of time. You may first be started on a liquid diet. Examples of liquids include, water, broth, apple juice, or lemon-lime soda pop. You may also be able to suck on ice chips or eat gelatin. After a few days, you may be allowed to eat soft foods. Some examples are applesauce, baby food, bananas, cooked cereal, cottage cheese, eggs, gelatin, pudding, and yogurt. Ask your caregiver for more information about what type of food is best for you.

Rehabilitation: If you had surgery to fix your facial fracture, you may need oral and facial rehabilitation. This is done to restore normal use and movement of your facial muscles and function. Ask your caregiver for more information about rehabilitation.

Preventing a facial fracture:

• Make sure your car has an air bag installed for safety.
  
  
• Wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or a motorcycle.
  
  
• Wear a seatbelt at all times when you are inside a motor vehicle.
  
  
• Wear protective headgear and eyewear during sporting activities.

Self-care:

• Apply cold packs. Ice causes blood vessels to constrict (get small) which may help decrease swelling, pain, and redness. Do not sleep with the ice pack on your face because you may get frostbite.
  
  
• Clean your mouth regularly. Having an injury to your mouth area may make it hard to remove food pieces and clean your teeth. Your caregiver will show you the best way to do this so you do not hurt yourself. A water pick or a child-sized soft toothbrush may work well to clean your mouth.
  
  
• Do not sleep on the injured side of your face. Pressure on the area of your injury may cause further damage.
  
  
• Keep your head above the level of your heart. Elevating your head may help decrease swelling and improve the blood flow to your face. You can elevate your head by putting pillows under your head and shoulders.
  
  
• Sneeze with your mouth open. Sneezing with your mouth open helps decrease pressure on your broken facial bones. Too much pressure from a sneeze may cause your broken bones to move and cause more damage.
  
  
• Try not to blow your nose. If you have a fracture near your eye, blowing your nose may cause more damage. Blowing your nose may pinch the nerve of your eye causing permanent damage.

For more information: Having a facial fracture may be hard. You may feel sad, scared, and you may have a hard time coping with your condition. You may feel embarrassed if your face is misshapen. Talk to your caregivers, family, or friends about your feelings. Contact the following:

• American College of Surgeons
  633 N. Saint Clair St.
  Chicago, IL 606113211
  Phone: 1-312-2025000
  Phone: 1-800-6214111
  Web Address: http://www.facs.org
  

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• You have a fever (high body temperature).
  
  
• You are seeing double or suddenly have problems with your eyesight.
  
  
• You feel dizzy or suddenly confused.
  
  
• Your stitches or staples come apart.
  
  
• Your surgery site is swollen, red, or has pus coming from it.

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

• You have clear or pinkish fluid draining from your nose or mouth.
  
  
• You have numbness in your face.
  
  
• You have swelling or hardness around your eye.
  
  
• You have worsening eye pain.
  
  
• You suddenly have trouble speaking or breathing.
  
  
• Your eye or eyes stick out (bulge) farther than their normal position.
  
  
• Your surgery site is bleeding.

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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