Military Medicine and War-Related Maxillofacial Injuries
摘要
This chapter presents contemporary doctrine and evidence for war-related maxillofacial injury care across the continuum, from point of injury to definitive reconstruction and rehabilitation. It outlines the scope and relevance of military medicine, traces historical advances in evacuation and forward surgical capability, and summarizes current epidemiology shaped by blast and ballistic mechanisms. The physics of blast and the primary–quinary injury taxonomy frame patterns seen in craniomaxillofacial trauma. Tactical Combat Casualty Care priorities—airway protection, hemorrhage control, and damage control resuscitation—are linked to survival and return-to-duty. Initial management emphasizes staged debridement, contamination control, and temporizing skeletal and soft tissue stabilization, followed by infection prevention strategies tailored to multidrug-resistant risk. Reconstruction algorithms address timing, microvascular free flaps, autogenous and alloplastic skeletal restoration, and the role of virtual planning and patient-specific implants. Dedicated sections cover airway options in complex facial disruption, ophthalmic and neurotrauma overlap with imaging pathways, and long-term functional rehabilitation, including prosthetics, dental implants, and orthodontic support. The chapter integrates operational logistics, training, and multidisciplinary pathways to optimize functional, aesthetic, and psychological outcomes while sustaining force readiness.