Abstract
While domestic violence is recognized as a social problem in Japan, efforts to reduce its incidence have been mostly unsuccessful. Injuries resulting from domestic violence are most often to the face. Additionally, such injuries are so severe as to require surgery, and can result in very severe sequelae such as disfigurement and visual impairment. This report describes a case of domestic violence in which a woman suffered multiple facial fractures from her husband.
The patient was a 35-year-old woman brought to the hospital by ambulance after an argument with her husband at a family party led to her being beaten in August 201X. A computed tomography （CT） scan showed multiple fractures in the mandible and the nasal and orbital bones. Based on this diagnosis, open reduction and internal fixation surgery were performed for the mandibular fracture under general anesthesia. Moreover, because the patient was traumatized, she was discharged from the hospital after a cross-disciplinary team was assembled to provide ongoing support for the patient and her family.
When treating victims of domestic violence, in addition to the obvious need to treat the physical injuries, it is essential to provide mental health support before and after treatment for the victims and their families.
