Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic Surgery

Background: Orthognathic surgery is a corrective procedure to address skeletal and dental deformities. Despite its effectiveness, there is a risk of complications, including facial nerve injury. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with facial nerve injur...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Khursheed Alam, Mohammad Younis Hajeer, Mohammed Ali Jawad Alghafli, Faisal Maqbul Salm Alazmi, Ali Mansour Ali Almansour, Nor Farid Bin Mohd Noor, Mahmood Sajedeen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_77_25
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author Mohammad Khursheed Alam
Mohammad Younis Hajeer
Mohammed Ali Jawad Alghafli
Faisal Maqbul Salm Alazmi
Ali Mansour Ali Almansour
Nor Farid Bin Mohd Noor
Mahmood Sajedeen
author_facet Mohammad Khursheed Alam
Mohammad Younis Hajeer
Mohammed Ali Jawad Alghafli
Faisal Maqbul Salm Alazmi
Ali Mansour Ali Almansour
Nor Farid Bin Mohd Noor
Mahmood Sajedeen
author_sort Mohammad Khursheed Alam
collection DOAJ
description Background: Orthognathic surgery is a corrective procedure to address skeletal and dental deformities. Despite its effectiveness, there is a risk of complications, including facial nerve injury. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with facial nerve injury in orthognathic surgery. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 120 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery between January 2019 and December 2023 at a tertiary care center. The study included bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO), Le Fort I osteotomy, and genioplasty procedures. Facial nerve function was assessed preoperatively and at intervals of 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months postoperatively using the House-Brackmann grading system. Risk factors such as operative duration, nerve handling, and surgeon experience were analyzed. Results: Of the 120 patients, 15 (12.5%) experienced transient facial nerve injury, while 2 (1.7%) had persistent deficits at 6 months. Patients undergoing BSSO had the highest incidence of nerve injury (15%), followed by Le Fort I osteotomy (8%) and genioplasty (5%). Extended operative time (>3 h) and inexperienced surgeons were significantly associated with increased risk (P < 0.05). Most injuries were classified as mild (Grade II) and resolved spontaneously within 3 months. Conclusion: Facial nerve injury is a rare but notable complication of orthognathic surgery, with most cases being transient and mild. Identifying and mitigating risk factors, such as minimizing operative time and ensuring surgeon expertise, can help reduce its occurrence. Further studies are warranted to explore long-term outcomes and preventive strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-41d9bd23afdd41f295384ec2fa10022c2025-08-20T02:42:25ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences0976-48790975-74062025-06-0117Suppl 2S1252S125410.4103/jpbs.jpbs_77_25Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic SurgeryMohammad Khursheed AlamMohammad Younis HajeerMohammed Ali Jawad AlghafliFaisal Maqbul Salm AlazmiAli Mansour Ali AlmansourNor Farid Bin Mohd NoorMahmood SajedeenBackground: Orthognathic surgery is a corrective procedure to address skeletal and dental deformities. Despite its effectiveness, there is a risk of complications, including facial nerve injury. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes associated with facial nerve injury in orthognathic surgery. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 120 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery between January 2019 and December 2023 at a tertiary care center. The study included bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO), Le Fort I osteotomy, and genioplasty procedures. Facial nerve function was assessed preoperatively and at intervals of 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months postoperatively using the House-Brackmann grading system. Risk factors such as operative duration, nerve handling, and surgeon experience were analyzed. Results: Of the 120 patients, 15 (12.5%) experienced transient facial nerve injury, while 2 (1.7%) had persistent deficits at 6 months. Patients undergoing BSSO had the highest incidence of nerve injury (15%), followed by Le Fort I osteotomy (8%) and genioplasty (5%). Extended operative time (>3 h) and inexperienced surgeons were significantly associated with increased risk (P < 0.05). Most injuries were classified as mild (Grade II) and resolved spontaneously within 3 months. Conclusion: Facial nerve injury is a rare but notable complication of orthognathic surgery, with most cases being transient and mild. Identifying and mitigating risk factors, such as minimizing operative time and ensuring surgeon expertise, can help reduce its occurrence. Further studies are warranted to explore long-term outcomes and preventive strategies.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_77_25bilateral sagittal split osteotomyfacial nerve injuryle fort i osteotomynerve functionorthognathic surgerysurgical complications
spellingShingle Mohammad Khursheed Alam
Mohammad Younis Hajeer
Mohammed Ali Jawad Alghafli
Faisal Maqbul Salm Alazmi
Ali Mansour Ali Almansour
Nor Farid Bin Mohd Noor
Mahmood Sajedeen
Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic Surgery
Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences
bilateral sagittal split osteotomy
facial nerve injury
le fort i osteotomy
nerve function
orthognathic surgery
surgical complications
title Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic Surgery
title_full Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic Surgery
title_fullStr Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic Surgery
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic Surgery
title_short Evaluation of the Risks of Facial Nerve Damage in Orthognathic Surgery
title_sort evaluation of the risks of facial nerve damage in orthognathic surgery
topic bilateral sagittal split osteotomy
facial nerve injury
le fort i osteotomy
nerve function
orthognathic surgery
surgical complications
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_77_25
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