477 Patient Reported Outcomes and Surgical Site Infection in Surgically Treated Soft Tissue Facial Injury: A Meta-Analysis

Importance Soft tissue facial injuries (STFI) constitute a significant portion of craniofacial trauma cases and are burdensome to emergency departments. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the risk of surgical site infection (SSI) and the patient-reported outcomes (PROs) for operative management of STFI. Data Sources A PRISMA-compliant search was conducted and included studies measuring any PRO or the risk of SSI by any classification or diagnostic method. Meta-analysis was performed using R. Pooled effects of primary outcomes were estimated using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model/generalised linear mixed model, when feasible. Results Out of 8,897 screened studies, 40 were included. 12 studies reported PROs, while 31 reported SSI risk following operative treatment for STFI. The pooled Patient Scar Assessment Scale (PSAS) score at 6-12 months post-intervention (5 studies, n=217) was 16.16 (95%CI 15.34-16.97, p < 0.001). Cosmetic outcomes did not differ across various techniques or suture. Limited evidence was found regarding the effect of surgical treatment in terms of quality of life and psychological impact compared to conservative management. The pooled SSI risk (n=13,524) was 2.68% (n=657; 95%CI 1.59%-4.50%). Conclusions and Relevance Our findings emphasise the limited and unreliable evidence available on SSI and PROs following operative treatment for STFI. Future studies employing robust methodologies are needed to investigate optimal approaches for managing STFI effectively.