Pneumomediastinum after Orthognathic Surgery: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Susanne Jung, Thomas Prien, Claudia Rudack, Johannes Kleinheinz

Department of Anaesthesiology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany.

DOI: 10.4236/ijohns.2013.22014                

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.

Keywords

Pneumomediastinum; Pneumothorax; Mediastinal Emphysema; Orthognathic Surgery; Complication

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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