[Complications of orthognathic surgery. Apropos of a series of 84 patients]. / Complications de la chirurgie orthognathique. A propos d'une série de 84 patients.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Patients demand satisfactory functional and esthetic results from orthognatic surgery. The aim of this study as to assess adverse outcomes after orthognatic surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 84 patients who underwent maxillary (22.6%), mandibular (29.8%) or bimaxillary (38.1%) osteotomy in 1997. We re-examined 76 of these patients at a mean 21 months follow-up. Data were recorded for the preoperative, early postoperative, secondary postoperative and late postoperative periods. RESULTS: Infectious complications occurred in 2% of the cases of maxillary surgery. For mandibular surgery there were 10.5% infectious complications including 83% that resolved spontaneously, 3.5% neurological complications and 1.7% temporomandibular joint complications. DISCUSSION: Maxillary osteotomy has proven reliable. Major adverse outcome is infrequent but serious. Adverse outcomes in mandibular surgery are more common but less problematic.