Abstract

PORTO, Gabriela Granja; SOUZA, Bruno Luiz Menezes de  and  SAMPAIO, Diogo de Oliveira. Management of animal bite injuries: case reports. Rev. cir. traumatol. buco-maxilo-fac. [online]. 2013, vol.13, n.4, pp. 39-44. ISSN 1808-5210.

Facial injuries resulting from animal bites are commonly reported in the literature. This kind of injuryoccusr approximately about 15% in the face and is presented as superficial abrasions or deep wounds with great tissue loss, causing aesthetic and functional damages to the victims. Children are more commonly affected than adults, generally involving nose, ears, cheeks and lips. The ideal time to approach the injury and the need for prophylactic antibiotics are still controversial, although most advocate for primary surgical closure of uninfected wounds, rather than delayed surgical repair, and restricteduse of prophylactic antibiotics in specific situations evaluated on clinical exam. Prophylaxis against rabies and tetanus should always be administered when well indicated. Clinical exam and detailed physical examination are of great importance to determine which therapeutic approach is most indicated for each case. This study reports cases of animal bite victims, young and elderly, treated by primary repair and prophylactic antibiotics, achieving good results, without signs of infection.

Keywords : Facial injuries; bite; wound Infection.