Mandibular Degloving: A Case Report and Literature Review.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Degloving injuries of the extremities are well documented; however, there are few reports of degloving injuries to the mandible. A literature review demonstrates several cases of mandibular degloving in pediatric patients. However, no isolated mandibular degloving injuries have been reported in adults. CASE REPORT We report a case of a 21-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with facial trauma after a motorcycle accident. Initial examination of the head and neck showed ecchymosis and edema overlying the left periorbital area, eye closure secondary to periorbital edema, upper eyelid and lower eyelid superficial lacerations, as well as a left oral commissural and lower intraoral lacerations. Following completion of maxillofacial computed tomography after primary and secondary survey, the intraoral lesion was found to be a degloving injury of the mandible. This injury was irrigated with bacitracin and betadine before closure. It was ultimately closed in a layered fashion with deep layers reconstructing the sheared attachments of the overlying tissue to the periosteum, followed by gingivobuccal mucosal apposition superficially. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS? Facial trauma is a common presentation in the emergency department. It is important that the emergency physician complete a thorough head and neck evaluation, including the oral mucosa and gingivobuccal sulcus, as mandibular degloving injuries may be occult. Without a high level of suspicion, such lesions may be missed, increasing the risk of subsequent infection and obligate healing by secondary intention leading to increased morbidity.