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Complications after orthognathic surgery: our experience on 423 cases

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Abstract

Introduction

Orthognathic surgery is widely used to correct dentofacial discrepancies. However, this procedure presents numerous possible complications. The aim of our study is to review intraoperative and postoperative complications related to orthognathic surgery based upon a 10-year period in the Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Federico II University of Naples.

Materials and methods

Medical records of 423 patients who undergone orthognathic surgery in a 10-year period were retrospectively analyzed and complications was noted. Statistical analysis was conduced in order to understand if the type of surgical procedure influenced complications rate.

Results

One hundred eighty-five complications in 143 (33.8%) of the 423 treated patients were reported. Complications detected were nerve injury (49 cases, 11.9%), infections (10 cases, 2.4%), complications related to fixation plates or screws (30 cases, 7.1%), bad split osteotomy (8 cases, 1.9%), secondary temporo-mandibular joint disorders (36 cases, 8.5%), dental injuries (21 cases, 5%), condilar resorption (2 cases, 0.5%), and necessity of a second-time surgery (24 cases, 5.7%).

Conclusions

Serious complications seem to be quite rare in orthognathic surgery. Some of the surgical complications found are related to the surgeon experience and not strictly to the risks of the operation itself. Understanding potential complications allows the surgeon to guarantee safe care through early intervention and correctly inform the patient in the preoperative colloquy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via S. Pansini 5, 80100, Naples, Italy

    Marco Friscia, Carolina Sbordone, Marzia Petrocelli, Luigi Angelo Vaira & Luigi Califano

  2. Statistical Science Department, School of Statistic Science, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Federica Attanasi

  3. Dentistry Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University Federico II, Via Pansini 9, 80100, Naples, Italy

    Francesco Maria Cassandro

  4. Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Legal Medicine Unit, School of Medicine, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via S. Pansini 5, 80100, Naples, Italy

    Mariano Paternoster

  5. Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, University of Salerno, Via S. Allende, 84081, Baronissi, Salerno, Italy

    Giorgio Iaconetta

Authors
  1. Marco Friscia
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  2. Carolina Sbordone
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  3. Marzia Petrocelli
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  4. Luigi Angelo Vaira
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  5. Federica Attanasi
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  6. Francesco Maria Cassandro
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  7. Mariano Paternoster
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  8. Giorgio Iaconetta
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  9. Luigi Califano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luigi Angelo Vaira.

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Ethical approval

The study was approved by the ethical committee of the University of Napoli “Federico II”.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Role of funding sources

No funding sources declared.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Friscia, M., Sbordone, C., Petrocelli, M. et al. Complications after orthognathic surgery: our experience on 423 cases. Oral Maxillofac Surg 21, 171–177 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10006-017-0614-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10006-017-0614-5

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