Abstract: PURPOSE : To estimate the ability of GCS-M to judge the change of consciousness in severe craniomaxillofacial injury patients. METHODS : Sixty-three patients with severe craniomaxillofacial injury were retrospectively reviewed based on their GCS-M scale and CT scan. Statistical analysis was undertaken with SPSS 14.0 software package. RESULTS : Among 63 cases, there were 17 cases with 4 of GCS-M at admission and 18 cases with 3 of GCS-M. Of 17 cases , eight cases became worse, their GCS-M scale decreased to 3, and CT scan showed that the intracranial hematoma became larger and then received surgery. After operation, the GCS scale of these 8 cases recovered to 4. All 18 cases with 3 of GCS-M underwent operation because large intracranial hematoma volume or dislocation of the midline; after operation, their GCS-M scale increased to 4. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the relation of GCS-M with intracranial hematoma volume was negative. CONCLUSIONS : GCS could correctly assess the consciousness of head injury, but sometime it is not possible to use GCS to estimate the consciousness of craniomaxillofacial injury such as periorbital injury with which the patient could not open the eye. GCS-M scale could compensate GCS. When GCS-M scale decreases, consciousness of patients would become worse.

Key words: Severe craniomaxillofacial injury, GCS scale, GCS-M scale