ment, trauma, infection or acute inflammation involving the oral and maxillofacial structures including teeth and dentoalveolar processes¹. The role of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the accident and emergency units has been recognized and trauma has played a role in the establishment of the specialty as the leading expert in the field of facial trauma^2,3.

This is largely due to the fact that the head and face are the most frequently injured anatomic sites in motor vehicle crash victims⁴ and maxillofacial injuries constitute an important component in the multiple trauma victims^5,6. Other causes of trauma include interpersonal violence, falls, sport related injuries and gunshot injuries^7,8. Severe infection, temporomandibular disorders and bomb attacks are other instances that may require emergency management by oral and maxillofacial surgeons^9,10.

The pattern and presentation of maxillofacial emergencies have been studied in different parts of the world. In a large series from Innsbruck, Austria, activities of daily life and play accidents accounted for the majority of patients, followed by sports related emergencies³. A similar study in Nigeria, which concentrated on children, showed that road traffic accidents were the major aetiologic factors in maxillofacial emergencies¹¹.

This study is therefore aimed at documenting the pattern of maxillofacial emergencies and to evaluate the treatment and outcome. This is not only necessary for the evaluation of present preventive and therapeutic regimens but will also help to develop optimal treatment regimens and help in appropriate resource and manpower allocations^12,13.

All the patients who presented to the Accident and Emergency department of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching hospital, Ile-Ife with maxillofacial emergencies during the

call hours of 4.00pm to 8.00 am from January 2001 to December 2002 were included in the study. A questionnaire was used to record the patients’ demographics, day and time of presentation, duration of emergency and mode of arrival. Other factors recorded include; the patients’ level of consciousness using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) for trauma patients, the diagnosis of the patients’ condition and the duration.

With regards to trauma patients, associated injuries outside the face were noted as well as the investigations carried out. The management instituted, where the treatment was carried out as well as the outcome of treatment while in the Accident and Emergency department were also noted.

Data was fed into an IBM compatible computer and analyzed using the SPSS 11.0 statistical package. Simple proportions were calculated and cross tabulations made for some parameters where a statistical significance was inferred at p value of less than 0.05.

During the period under review 8,254 patients attended the Accident and Emergency department, there were a total of 106 maxillofacial cases representing 1.3 %. The age range was from 2 years to 70 years with a mean age of 31.3 years. More than half of the patients (50 patients, 55.7%) were in the third decade of life and males were in the majority (90 males against 16 females giving a male: female ratio of 5.6:1). The occupation of the patients is listed in Table 1. Students were the most commonly seen, and constituted 28.9%.