TITLE:
Pneumomediastinum after Orthognathic Surgery: Case Report and Review of the Literature
AUTHORS:
Susanne Jung, Thomas Prien, Claudia Rudack, Johannes Kleinheinz
KEYWORDS:
Pneumomediastinum; Pneumothorax; Mediastinal Emphysema; Orthognathic Surgery; Complication
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery,
Vol.2 No.2,
March
29,
2013
ABSTRACT: Orthognathic surgery in general addresses young patients and aims to improve their bite function and to harmonize their facial aesthetics. Secure surgical standards and a defined post-surgical protocol of after-care are indispensable to reduce surgical as well as anaesthesiological risks in this area of complex elective surgery. The development of pneumomediastinum is a rare incident but threatens the patients’ physical integrity. The case of a young healthy male who underwent Le Fort I osteotomy in combination with bilateral mandibular sagittal split osteotomy and postoperatively developed pneumomediastinum is presented, together with a discussion of the possible reasons for this rare complication of orthognathic surgery. The avoidance of life-threatening coincidences must be one main focus in the preparation and aftercare in elective orthognathic surgery.