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Management of facial and periocular dog bites: a review of 104 cases

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European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Dog bites are a frequent cause of facial and periocular injuries in both children and adults. This aim of this study is to review current practice in the management of facial and periorbital dog bite injuries and to examine the current evidence-base for such treatment strategies.

Methods

Five hundred eighty-seven patients with dog bite injuries requiring surgical intervention were identified from operating theatre records in one tertiary centre over a 9-year period. A retrospective case note review of 104 patients with facial and periorbital dog bite injuries was performed. Data on patient demographics, type of injury, treatment, and outcome was collected and analysed.

Results

The majority of patients were children, with a mean age of 11 years (range 1–91 years). Injuries involved the cheek in 57 cases (55 %), eyelids in 17 cases (16 %), lips in 24 cases (23 %) and nose in 8 cases (8 %). No facial fractures, canalicular, or globe injuries were recorded. All patients underwent irrigation, debridement, and primary wound closure. Surgical repair occurred within 24 h in 19 cases (18.2 %), within 48 h in 71 cases (68.3 %) and within 5 days in 14 cases (13.4 %). Three patients (2.9 %) developed a wound infection. Two patients (1.9 %) required scar revision surgery.

Conclusions

Periorbital and facial dog bite injuries may result in considerable morbidity. However, the majority of injuries are superficial and canalicular injury and bony injury is uncommon. Early wound irrigation, debridement and primary closure results in a good cosmetic outcome with a low risk of infection.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, risk/prognostic study.

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Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The authors declare they have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review data if requested.

Ethical standards

This retrospective cohort study had prospective approval from the local ethics committee and adheres to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki of 1975, as revised in 2000. All patients gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. Details that might disclose the identity of the subjects under study were omitted.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Corneoplastic Unit, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 3DZ, UK

    Sonali Nagendran, Andre S. Litwin, Mano Sira, Jonathan Norris & Raman Malhotra

  2. Department of Plastic Surgery, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust, East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK

    Baljit Dheansa

Authors
  1. Sonali Nagendran
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  2. Andre S. Litwin
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  3. Mano Sira
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  4. Jonathan Norris
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  5. Baljit Dheansa
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  6. Raman Malhotra
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raman Malhotra.

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Nagendran, S., Litwin, A.S., Sira, M. et al. Management of facial and periocular dog bites: a review of 104 cases. Eur J Plast Surg 37, 595–598 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-014-0985-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-014-0985-x

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