Abstract
The hyoid bone is anatomically movable and protected by the mandible, cervical vertebrae, and clavicle. Therefore, hyoid bone fractures in conjunction with oral and maxillofacial trauma are extremely rare. We report the case of a 70-year-old man who sustained multiple injuries after falling down a flight of stairs. The patient received life-saving and stabilizing interventions at the Acute Care Surgery Center. Once the patient was stable enough for transfer, he was referred to our Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for definitive management of his oral and maxillofacial trauma. Head and neck CT confirmed maxillofacial fractures, including a hyoid bone fracture. The patient complained of difficulty swallowing, and a subsequent chest CT scan was suggestive of aspiration pneumonia. Thereafter, he received respiratory management at the Acute Care Surgery Center. The hyoid bone fracture was managed conservatively, while open reduction and internal fixation of the maxillofacial fractures were performed four days later. Swallowing function was continuously monitored by speech and language pathologists. Twenty days later, he successfully resumed regular diet intake and reintegrated into social activities. This case report describes the rare occurrence of maxillofacial fractures with difficulty swallowing owing to hyoid bone fracture.
