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The Impact of Airbags and Seat Belts on the Incidence and Severity of Maxillofacial Injuries in Automobile Accidents in New York State
Jason Mouzakes, MD;
Peter J. Koltai, MD;
Siobhan Kuhar, MD, PhD;
Dan S. Bernstein, MCP;
Paul Wing, DEngin;
Edward Salsberg, MPA
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127:1189-1193.
Objective To evaluate the effect driver-side and passenger-side airbags have had
on the incidence and severity of maxillofacial trauma in victims of automobile
accidents.
Design Retrospective analysis of all automobile (passenger cars and light trucks)
accidents reported in 1994.
Setting New York State.
Patients Of the 595 910 individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents
in New York in 1994, 377 054 individuals were initially selected from
accidents involving cars and light trucks. Of this subset, 164 238 drivers
and 62 755 right front passengers were selected for analysis.
Main Outcome Measures Each case is described in a single record with approximately 100 variables
describing the accident, eg, vehicle, safety equipment installed and utilized
or deployed, occupant position, patient demographics, International
Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnoses, and procedural treatments rendered. A maxillofacial trauma
severity scale was devised, based on the ICD-9-CM
diagnoses.
Results Individuals using airbags and seat belts sustained facial injuries at
a rate of 1 in 449, compared with a rate of 1 in 40 for individuals who did
not use seat belts or airbags (P<.001). Those
using airbags alone sustained facial injuries at the intermediate rate of
1 in 148, and victims using seat belts without airbags demonstrated an injury
rate of 1 in 217 (P<.001).
Conclusion Use of driver-side airbags, when combined with use of seat belts, has
resulted in a decrease in the incidence and severity of maxillofacial trauma.
From the Division of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Albany
Medical Center Hospital, Albany, NY (Drs Mouzakes and Kuhar); the Department
of Pediatric Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, the Cleveland Clinic
Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio (Dr Koltai); and the State University of New York
School of Public Health, Albany (Messrs Bernstein, Wing, and Salsberg). Dr
Mouzakes is now with Capital Region Otolaryngology Head and Neck Group, Albany,
NY.
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Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Reader's Choice: Continuing Medical Education
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127(10):1289-1291.
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ABSTRACT
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