Epidemiology of Nasal Bone Fractures

Importance: Although nasal bones are the most common type of facial fracture given their natural projection and vulnerability to trauma, there is a paucity of data on its trends. Objective: To report on the trends and costs associated with open and closed nasal bone fractures across the United States. Methods: A retrospective analysis from 2006 to 2014 was conducted of the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample by using the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision codes for closed and open nasal bone fractures (802.0 and 802.1) presenting to emergency departments (ED). Trend analysis of total number and rate of visits, discharges, admissions, and associated costs were conducted. Results: Data from 1,253,399.741 records were collected. The total number of ED visits decreased by 2.05% for both open and closed nasal fractures from 2006 to 2014 whereas their associated costs increased (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 for closed and open nasal fractures). Notably, open fractures were consistently costlier whereas closed fractures had a greater percent-increase in costs (76.65%). Conclusions and Relevance: This study identified a significant rise in nasal fracture costs, which can be reduced via use of cheaper diagnostic modalities and cost-effective endoscopic procedures.