The clinical utility of steroids in facial trauma: A retrospective study of 638 patients

AbstractGlucocorticosteroids reduce post‐operative swelling, trismus and pain after third molar extraction, maxillofacial trauma and orthognathic surgery. Steroids may affect immune system and retard wound healing. However, the use of steroids may or may not lead to infection. Patients were divided into two groups based on steroid therapy. The minimum follow‐up was for 6 months. Independent t‐test and chi‐square statistics were used for quantitative and categorical data respectively. A p < 0.05 was considered significant at 95% confidence interval. A total of 638 patient records were divided into two groups; group A (steroid group) and group B (non‐steroid group). After 6 months 45% of group A patients and 2% of group B patients had infection (p value‐0.077). The mean duration of analgesic requirement in group A was 3.9 ± 1.5 days compared to 4.4 ± 2.1 days in group B (p = 0.01). Oedema was present in 9% of patients in group A compared to 12.5% in group B after 1 week (p < 0.0001). The mean VAS score at 1 week was 0.03 ± 0.18 in group B compared to 0 in group A (p < 0.001). Use of steroids does not increase the risk of infection. It significantly reduces the duration of analgesic requirement with the reduction in oedema and pain.