Purpose Statement: To determine outcomes, including complications and costs, of immediate (within 72 hours) versus delayed (beyond 72 hours) repair of mandible fractures presenting to a level 1 trauma center.

Methods and Materials: Medical records of patients treated with surgical repair of mandible fractures by the Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery Departments at Albany Medical Center were obtained and reviewed. Two study groups were compared: patients treated within 72 hours of the injury and those treated afterwards. Patient demographics, time to repair, fracture types, substance abuse history, etiology, surgical management, complications, and length of hospital stay were assessed in each group

Results: There were a total of 33 medical records reviewed in this study. Seventeen patients were repaired within 72 hours of the injury (immediate group) while the remaining 16 were repaired afterwards (delayed group). The mean time to repair was 1.0 and 8.8 days for the respective groups. The most common fracture type in both groups was parasymphaseal with assault the most common etiology. The complication rate was 41% (n=7) within the immediate group and 43% (n=6) within the delayed group. Rate of complications was not statistically significant between the groups (P=0.48). Complications were prevalent in patients with history of substance abuse in both groups. For patients who suffered isolated facial fractures, 11 patients in the immediate group had an average hospital course of 3 days, while 3 patients in the delayed group stayed an average of 1 day in the hospital.

Conclusions: Complication rates do not increase when repair of mandible fractures is delayed beyond 72 hours. Substance abuse is a factor in increasing complications rates in patients with mandible fractures. Outpatient triage with elective repair of isolated mandibular fractures appears to be more cost-effective than admission with inpatient management.