Hemimandibular Elongation: Is the Corrected Occlusion Maintained Long-Term? Does the Mandible Continue to Grow?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess for the maintenance of a corrected occlusion and ongoing mandibular growth in a group of patients younger than 26 years with hemimandibular elongation (HME) who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of HME patients operated on by a single surgeon at 1 institution between 1999 and 2013. At a minimum, all patients underwent Le Fort I and bilateral sagittal ramus osteotomies. Study exclusions included patients aged 26 years or older; those with clefts, craniofacial disorders, or tumors; and those with a history of temporomandibular joint or orthognathic surgery. The study variables included age, gender, side of condylar hyperactivity, premolar extractions, extent of mandibular deformity and malocclusion, planned surgical change, and longitudinal follow-up. The outcome variables studied were the achievement and maintenance of a corrected occlusion and the occurrence of continued mandibular growth after surgery. We compared the occlusion at intervals including the following: before surgery (T1), 5 weeks postoperatively (T2), and either 6 to 24 months after surgery (T3) or more than 2 years after surgery (T4). Anterior occlusion assessment included evaluation of overjet, overbite, and dental midline position. Posterior occlusion assessment included the Angle classification, first molar vertical position, and first molar transverse position. If the corrected anterior occlusion remained stable and no posterior open bite occurred, then no clinically significant condylar hyperactivity and/or ongoing mandibular growth was judged to have occurred. RESULTS: Seventy-six consecutive patients met the inclusion criteria. Age at operation averaged 18 years (range, 14.5 to 25 years), and the study included 44 female patients (58%). T3 patients (10 of 76, 13%) had documentation of occlusion at a mean of 19 months after surgery. T4 patients (66 of 76, 87%) had documentation of occlusion at a mean of 5 years 8 months after surgery. Only 1 of the 76 study patients (1%) was judged to have clinically significant ongoing mandibular growth after reconstruction. For all other patients, a corrected anterior occlusion was maintained long-term, and a posterior open bite did not develop in any. In 7 of the 76 patients (9%), there was a recurrent posterior crossbite by 1 year after completion of orthodontics but without the need for retreatment. An association was confirmed between mandibular setback and long-term posterior malocclusion even with simultaneous maxillary advancement (P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: In HME, a favorable occlusion can be reliably achieved and maintained long-term in most cases using standard bimaxillary orthognathic technique. The need for mandibular setback, even in the presence of simultaneous maxillary advancement, proved to be a factor in the recurrence of long-term posterior malocclusion, although the risk remains low. The results clarify that in patients with HME, by use of the described techniques and timing for surgery, there is no need for an ablative open joint procedure to arrest condylar growth.

Surgical Site Infections Following Bimaxillary Orthognathic, Osseous Genioplasty, and Intranasal Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Frequency estimates of surgical site infection (SSI) after orthognathic surgery vary considerably. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and site of SSIs and associated risk factors after bimaxillary orthognathic, osseous genioplasty, and intranasal surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors executed a retrospective cohort study of patients with a bimaxillary developmental dentofacial deformity (DFD) and symptomatic chronic obstructive nasal breathing. All patients underwent at a minimum Le Fort I osteotomy, bilateral sagittal ramus osteotomies (SROs), septoplasty, inferior turbinate reduction, and osseous genioplasty. The primary outcome variable studied was the incidence and site of SSI. Predictor variables were type and extent of prophylactic antibiotic used, demographic (age and gender), and anatomic (pattern of DFD, surgical site, and presence of third molar). RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-two patients met the inclusion criteria. Their average age at surgery was 25 years (range, 13 to 63 yr) and there were 134 female patients (51%). The major presenting patterns of DFD included long face (30%) and maxillary deficiency (25%). Forty percent of patients undergoing an SRO and 47% of those undergoing a Le Fort I osteotomy underwent simultaneous removal of a third molar. Ninety percent of patients received cefazolin or cephalexin antibiotics. Overall, 5 of 1,048 (0.5%) osteotomy sites sustained an infection, including 1 chin and 4 ramus SSIs. There were no delays in bone healing. Fixation hardware removal was not required in any patient who developed an infection. Two of the 25 patients (8%) given clindamycin prophylaxis developed an SSI, whereas 3 of 237 patients (1%) receiving cefazolin did. Three of the 4 patients who developed an SRO SSI underwent simultaneous removal of an erupted or partially erupted mandibular third molar (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the incidence of SSI was limited to 1% of patients who were given cefazolin or cephalexin extended for 5 days. The removal of an erupted or partially erupted mandibular third molar in conjunction with an SRO was associated with risk of SSI, but the incidence remains low.

Operative Time, Airway Management, Need for Blood Transfusions, and In-Hospital Stay for Bimaxillary, Intranasal, and Osseous Genioplasty Surgery: Current Clinical Practices.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess operative time, perioperative airway management, early postoperative cardiopulmonary health, need for blood transfusion, and in-hospital stay associated with simultaneous bimaxillary, intranasal, and osseous genioplasty surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors executed a retrospective cohort study derived from patients treated by 1 surgeon at a single institution from 2009 through 2014. The sample consisted of a consecutive series of patients with symptomatic chronic obstructed nasal breathing and a dentofacial deformity (DFD). All underwent at least a Le Fort I osteotomy, sagittal ramus osteotomies, septoplasty, inferior turbinate reduction, and osseous genioplasty. For each patient, the design of the osteotomies and the fixation techniques were consistent. The outcome variables included need for blood transfusion, operating time, success of nasotracheal intubation, time and place of extubation, early postoperative cardiopulmonary health, length of in-hospital stay, and need for readmission after surgery. RESULTS: For the 166 patients studied, the average age was 25 years (range, 13 to 65 yr; 87 female patients [52%]). The primary patterns of presenting DFD included long face (43 of 166, 26%), maxillary deficiency (41 of 166, 25%), asymmetric mandibular excess (37 of 166, 22%), short face (28 of 166, 17%), and mandibular deficiency (15 of 166, 9%). Forty-two patients (25%) were confirmed to have symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea. The open wound operating time averaged 2 hours 59 minutes (standard deviation, 32 minutes). Only 3 of the 166 patients (1.8%) received blood transfusions. All patients underwent successful nasotracheal intubation. Ninety-six percent of patients were extubated in the operating room and the remaining 4% were extubated in the recovery room. No patients required reintubation or tracheostomy. One hundred thirty-seven patients (83%) were discharged after a 1- or 2-night in-hospital stay. Twenty-five (15%) required a 3-night stay and 4 (2%) required a 4-night hospital stay to achieve adequate oral intake. None of the patients required readmission. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms efficient surgical and anesthesia care for patients undergoing simultaneous bimaxillary orthognathic, intranasal, and osseous genioplasty. Anticipating safe nasotracheal intubation with extubation soon after surgery and a limited need for blood transfusion has proved to be the norm. This study confirmed an average in-hospital stay of 2 nights after complex orthognathic surgery without need for readmission.

Orthognathic surgery in "older" adults with Hemi-Mandibular Elongation: Long-term occlusion outcomes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe a consecutive series of subjects with HME who underwent orthognathic correction after 26 years of age. The investigators hypothesized that for this group of HME subjects, bimaxillary orthognathic correction would result in a favorable initial and long-term occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was implemented. The sample included a consecutive series of HME subjects >26 years of age undergoing bimaxillary osteotomies. The outcome variables were the achievement and maintenance of a corrected occlusion after surgery. We compared the occlusion at intervals before surgery (T1), 5 weeks postoperatively (T2), >2 years after surgery (T3). Descriptive and bivariate statistics were calculated. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: 13 subjects met inclusion criteria with a mean age of 36 years. All subjects underwent maxillary advancement. All subjects underwent mandibular surgery with 92% receiving advancement. Sixty-nine percent of subjects had a maxillary occlusal cant. In 12 of 13 subjects, a favorable occlusion was maintained long-term (T3) after surgery. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that bimaxillary orthognathic surgery in HME subjects >26 years of age results in a favorable initial occlusion which is maintained long-term. These findings are similar to that previously reported in HME subjects <26 years of age.