ABSTRACT
The paranasal sinuses develop within and are protected by the facial bones, which also surround and serve to protect both orbits and the nasal and oral cavities. Facial fractures, of which midface injuries were most frequent, occurred in 16% of our patients who experienced multiple blunt trauma and were referred to a regional trauma center. The facial skeleton tends to be assessed in terms of the supporting buttresses forming its structure in the sagittal, coronal, and axial planes. Three levels of axial struts interconnect and reinforce the vertically orientated buttresses: at the level of the maxillary alveolus and hard palate, the orbital floor and zygomatic arches, and the floor of the anterior cranial fossa. An understanding of the major lines of weakness in the facial skeleton allows the prediction of fracture patterns. Traditionally, midfacial fractures are classified according to the specific pattern by which the fracture lines extend through the facial strut system.
