Risk factors for infection following operative treatment of mandibular fractures: a multivariate analysis.

Utilizing a retrospective study design and a study sample of 284 consecutive patients, we measured the association between five different risk factors and the development of infection following the operative management of mandibular fractures. The five risk factors analyzed were age, sex, number of fractures per patient, time from admission to treatment, and treatment modality. The overall infection rate was 5.3 percent. The infection rate for each treatment modality was (1) 0 percent for closed reduction, (2) 20.0 percent for open reduction and internal fixation with wire osteosynthesis, and (3) 6.3 percent for open reduction and rigid internal fixation. To measure the association between the various risk factors and postoperative infection, we used multivariate logistic regression. After controlling for potential confounding variables, the only risk factor statistically associated with postoperative infection was treatment modality.