Recovery pattern following bimaxillary orthognathic surgery: Differences between sexes

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Plastic Surgery
• Patient Recovery Studies

Background:

• Bimaxillary orthognathic surgery is a complex procedure aimed at correcting significant jaw discrepancies.
• Understanding sex-based differences in recovery is crucial for optimizing patient care and outcomes.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated gender-specific recovery patterns following this surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the postoperative recovery patterns between males and females undergoing bimaxillary orthognathic surgery.
• To identify sex-specific differences in surgical factors and commonly experienced postoperative symptoms.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 378 participants who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery were surveyed 5 weeks postoperatively.
• Questionnaires assessed surgical variables and the most bothersome symptoms experienced by each sex.
• Statistical analyses were performed to identify significant differences and correlations based on sex.

Main Results:

• Females were more likely to undergo malarplasty (zygoma reduction) and required larger maxillary setbacks than males.
• Malarplasty correlated with ear fullness in both the total cohort and females.
• Snoring was significantly associated with malarplasty and segment osteotomy, irrespective of gender.
• Nasal congestion was the most common complaint (55.6%), followed by swelling (29.3%), pain (15.4%), and breathing difficulty (10.6%).

Conclusions:

• Significant differences exist in surgical factors and postoperative recovery patterns between males and females following bimaxillary orthognathic surgery.
• These findings highlight the need for sex-specific considerations in managing patient expectations and postoperative care.
• Further research may explore the underlying physiological or behavioral reasons for these observed gender-based variations.