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

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.