Current trends in the management of maxillofacial gunshot injuries: a critical review

early, although, surprisingly, it is not always necessary. Haemodynamic resuscitation, followed by thorough patient evaluation, is done to rule out concomitant injuries often associated with warfare injuries. They may go unnoticed when attention is directed primarily to an extensive facial injury 4–7 . After early resuscitation, careful history and physical examination and paraclinical diagnostics are necessary for correct management. Craniofacial computed tomography-scans with soft tissue and bone imaging in different views (axial, coronal and three dimensional) are the procedures of choice for diagnosis of facial injuries. Consultation with different specialists is often necessary for treatment. Surgical management of facial gunshot wounds is basically divided into three stages: (1) debridement, fracture stabilisation, and primary closure; (2) reconstruction of hard tissues, provided soft tissue coverage is adequate; and (3) rehabilitation of the oral vestibule, alveolar ridge, and secondary correction of residual deformities and dental implants 6,8 . Herein, we review and evaluate the current trends in the management of maxillofacial gunshot injuries. Discussion The authors have referenced some of their own studies in this review. These referenced studies have been conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (1964) and the protocols of these studies have been approved by the relevant ethics committees related to the institution in which they were performed. All human subjects, in these referenced studies, gave informed consent to participate in these studies. Debridement