TY - JOUR
T1 - The use of teleradiology for triaging of maxillofacial trauma
AU - Brucoli, Matteo
AU - Boffano, Paolo
AU - Franchi, Stefano
AU - Pezzana, Andrea
AU - Baragiotta, Nicola
AU - Benech, Arnaldo
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery
PY - 2019/10
Y1 - 2019/10
N2 - Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess and discuss our experience with a teleradiology technique applied to facial trauma patients referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgery hub center. Materials and methods: All trauma patients with maxillofacial fractures from the hospitals of Vercelli, Biella, Borgosesia, Borgomanero, Verbania, and Domodossola who were referred between July 2014 and September 2018 to the hub maxillofacial center of Novara were reviewed. The following data were recorded for each patient: sex, age, referral hospital, etiology, etiology mechanisms, site of facial fractures, date of injury, indications for surgery according to teleradiology consultation, indications for surgery following clinical maxillofacial assessment, date of eventual surgery, timing of surgery from trauma, type of surgical intervention. Results: A total of 467 patients with a total of 605 fractures were triaged and managed by the Tempore telemedicine system. The most frequent cause of maxillofacial injury was fall. The most frequently observed fracture involved the zygoma. Following remote computed tomography assessment, surgical indications were suggested in 68 patients; 223 patients were not considered suitable candidates for surgery; and 176 patients needed a clinical assessment for the establishment of definitive eventual indications for surgery. Following clinical assessment, the absence and presence of surgical indications was confirmed in all 223 and 68 patients, respectively. Within the 176 patients with “possible” surgical indications, only 27 patients were referred for surgery. Conclusion: Teleradiology may be helpful for an appropriate triaging of trauma patients from peripheral hospitals for the correct referral to a maxillofacial trauma hub center.
AB - Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess and discuss our experience with a teleradiology technique applied to facial trauma patients referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgery hub center. Materials and methods: All trauma patients with maxillofacial fractures from the hospitals of Vercelli, Biella, Borgosesia, Borgomanero, Verbania, and Domodossola who were referred between July 2014 and September 2018 to the hub maxillofacial center of Novara were reviewed. The following data were recorded for each patient: sex, age, referral hospital, etiology, etiology mechanisms, site of facial fractures, date of injury, indications for surgery according to teleradiology consultation, indications for surgery following clinical maxillofacial assessment, date of eventual surgery, timing of surgery from trauma, type of surgical intervention. Results: A total of 467 patients with a total of 605 fractures were triaged and managed by the Tempore telemedicine system. The most frequent cause of maxillofacial injury was fall. The most frequently observed fracture involved the zygoma. Following remote computed tomography assessment, surgical indications were suggested in 68 patients; 223 patients were not considered suitable candidates for surgery; and 176 patients needed a clinical assessment for the establishment of definitive eventual indications for surgery. Following clinical assessment, the absence and presence of surgical indications was confirmed in all 223 and 68 patients, respectively. Within the 176 patients with “possible” surgical indications, only 27 patients were referred for surgery. Conclusion: Teleradiology may be helpful for an appropriate triaging of trauma patients from peripheral hospitals for the correct referral to a maxillofacial trauma hub center.
KW - Facial fracture
KW - Hub and spoke
KW - Maxillofacial trauma
KW - Telemedicine
KW - Teleradiology
KW - Triaging
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069914931&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcms.2019.07.007
DO - 10.1016/j.jcms.2019.07.007
M3 - Article
SN - 1010-5182
VL - 47
SP - 1535
EP - 1541
JO - Journal of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery
JF - Journal of Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery
IS - 10
ER -