Fundamentals of Pediatric Facial Trauma

Trauma is a significant cause of morbidity in children, leading cause of injury and death in the pediatric population. Head trauma is the most frequent anatomic site of trauma, being the majority of cases preventable events. As in adults, the spectrum of facial trauma is extremely broad and can include injuries to soft tissue, bony, and neurovascular structures with variable severity and have lifelong consequences. While facial injuries or often isolated, it is essential always to consider concomitant head or neck trauma. Every plastic surgeon must have sufficient knowledge to know the initial assessment, diagnostic methods, treatment alternatives, and associated complications, changing the paradigm that children are not just small adults. This chapter will attempt to provide a concise overview of pediatric facial trauma.