Two patterns of impalement injury to the oral cavity: Report of four cases and review of literature.

Impalement injuries to the oral cavity are common, and typically resolve with minimal intervention. We encountered two distinct patterns of injury that required active intervention in four consecutive patients. The first two patients, aged 2 and 7 years, sustained injuries to the floor of mouth and subsequently developed infectious complications necessitating surgical drainage. The other two, aged 4 and 5 years, sustained injuries to the junction of the hard and soft palate, avulsing deep flaps that required repair. Neurovascular complications, despite their rarity have earned maximal discussion in the literature. We feel that traumatic lacerations and infectious complications have far more clinical relevance due to their frequency of occurrence, and should thus occupy a more prominent position in the management flow chart.