Cranio-cervico-facial injuries due to crocodile bite: a rare observation in Yalgado Ouedraogo University Hospital (Burkina Faso)

Abstract

Human aggressions by wild animals are rare but often dramatic. Among the animals that attack humans, the crocodile is singled out by the impressive power of its jaws, which leave very little chance of survival to the victim it manages to grasp. Crocodile bite lesions most often affect the limbs and trunk. Cephalic injuries are exceptional and particularly serious because of the important infectious risks and their usual mortality. The authors report a case of cranio-cervico-facial trauma due to a crocodile bite in a 16-year-old patient with deep soft tissue wounds associated with a fracture of the mandible. Emergency management resulted in a favorable outcome. The report of this case aims to highlight the clinical specificities and the modalities of management of this rare lesion entity in an under medicalized context.

Surgical Management of Animal and Human Maxillofacial Bites: A Comprehensive Review

“…41 Ten articles reported treatment of human facial bites, 6,15,17,[19][20][21]23,37,39,62 six of them from Africa. 17,19,20,23,37,39 Less common, peculiar animal bites were also reported, including bears, 56 camels, 45,49,51 crocodiles, 42 hyenas, 36,38 leopards, 50,53,68 rats 63 and wolves. 43,48 Venomous animal bites are more associated with lower limb bites, but some reports of facial bites have been included, notably scorpions 33,52 and snakes.…”

“…The items included are from every inhabited continent except Central America. Thirteen studies were from Africa, 13,17,19,20,22,23,[36][37][38][39][40][41][42] 17 from Asia, 32,33,[43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57] 17 from Europe 2,7,11,12,14,15,24,27,28,34,35,[58][59][60][61][62][63] , 14 from North America, 4,10,16,18,25,…”

“…Some animal bites such as by large mammals and large carnivores usually occurs in the head and neck area, intentionally more lethal to the victim, 41,68 and very often involves crushing and amputation. 36,38,42,43,50,51,53,56 Fatal bites are related to food and not territorial defense. 42 Human flesh pleases the palate and is considered part of the diet of a few wild animals.…”

“…36,38,42,43,50,51,53,56 Fatal bites are related to food and not territorial defense. 42 Human flesh pleases the palate and is considered part of the diet of a few wild animals. 36,38 Although most wildlife attacks are associated with residents of rural areas, 36 tourists in wild regions are also affected.…”

Post-Mortem Dental Profile as a Powerful Tool in Animal Forensic Investigations—A Review

“…The nature and incidence of animal attacks on humans varies between different regions of the world depending on the fauna present and the extent of the interactions between humans and animals. Many animals have been reported to attack and bite living humans, with most attacks being caused by the order of carnivorous mammals such as canids (e.g., dog, wolf; [ 22 , 23 ]), felids (e.g., cat, lion, tiger; [ 24 , 25 ]), ursids (e.g., brown bear, polar bear; [ 26 , 27 ]), and non-human Primates (e.g., chimpanzee, gorilla, macaque; [ 28 , 29 ]), as well as by ungulated mammals such as suids (e.g., domestic pig, wild boar; [ 30 , 31 ]) and hippopotamids (e.g., hippopotamus; [ 32 ]), by rodent mammals (e.g., rat, squirrel; [ 33 , 34 ]), by reptiles (e.g., crocodile, iguana; Komodo dragon; [ 35 , 36 , 37 ]), and even by sharks (e.g., white shark, tiger shark; [ 38 , 39 , 40 ]), among other animals.…”