Purpose: To describe per and postoperative medical complications.
Study design: Prospective, observational study.
Patients: Between July and December 1999, 59 patients scheduled for programmed orthognathic surgery were included.
Methods: Anaesthetic and surgical procedures were standardised including patient information and training of surgical ward' nurses. During perioperative periods (in operative and recovery theater and in surgical ward), all the events were qualified on an anaesthetic spreadsheet for a qualitative analysis (description of events and treatment procedures).
Results: Two main complications were described 1) one atelectasia due to blood inhalation during the recovery period and 2) local sepsis in surgical ward. These two events were medically treated and recovered. No need of blood transfusion or stay in ICU were noted.
Conclusion: Anaesthetic and surgical cooperation is associated with poor morbidity of this functional surgery performed in young subjects.