Professional oral health care reduces the duration of hospital stay in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery

Abstract

Abstract. The present study reviewed the records of 58 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery [sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO), Le Fort I osteotomy, genioplasty, anterior maxillary alveolar osteotomy] between 2010 and 2015. To investigate the influence of preoperative oral health care on postoperative inflammation, infection and length of hospital stay in those patients, white blood cell (WBC) count and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were compared between patients who received and did not receive preoperative oral care. The mean CRP level throughout the postoperative term was lower in the oral care group as compared to the non-oral care group. By contrast, the oral care group had a lower occurrence of postoperative infectious complications (surgical site infection, anastomotic leak) (13.6 vs. 20.8%) and a shorter average length of hospital stay (16.2±3.8 vs. 21.2±7.4 days). These results suggest that preoperative professional oral health care decreases the duration of hospital stay following orthognathic surgery by inhibiting inflammation and infectious complications during the postoperative stage.

Word of Mouth: Local Antisepsis Practices in Orthognathic Surgery and Opportunities for Innovation

“…To go a step further, professional dental cleaning within 2 days prior to orthognathic surgery is associated with a 41% relative reduction in rates of infectious complications, though the study was insufficiently powered to demonstrate statistical significance. 25 That said, it has been our experience that some patients—particularly younger patients and those with orthodontic appliances or dentoalveolar abnormalities that complicate toothbrushing—arrive in the operating room with extensive plaque buildup and even inter-dental particulate matter. These patients, and potentially others as well, would likely benefit from a routine preoperative professional dental cleaning policy.…”

Patient First: Surgery First and More

“…Without regular removal, dental plaque undergoes a process of maturation that results in development of pathogenic bacterial flora. Therefore, proper oral health care during the perioperative period is thought to be necessary to decrease the number of oral pathogens 21 …”

“…Therefore, proper oral health care during the perioperative period is thought to be necessary to decrease the number of oral pathogens. 21 Proceeding in the same direction intrinsic to the surgery first which is based on the high involvement of the patient in the therapeutic process we have developed approach our philosophy, which we have named ''patient first,'' we continuously try to improve the quality of the treatments in order to offer the best comfort and the best results possible, in other words we build the whole diagnostic and therapeutic process basing ourselves on the improvement of patients' comfort and compliance. Although pursuing this philosophy we have wondered whether there was way to increase the comfort of surgery first approach even more and to make it even more appealing for the patients.…”