[Minimally invasive approach for Le Fort I osteotomy]

Orthognathic surgeries in which mobilization of the maxilla is required, are common procedures in the treatment of skeletal and developmental facial abnormalities. The Le fort I osteotomy is currently a safe, reliable and predictable procedure granting the surgeon good visualization and approach. However, these surgeries often involve substantial post operative swelling and pain, mostly due to the relatively extensive size of the mucoperiosteal approach flap. Several techniques have been previously reported in the literature, describing alternative approaches and novel instruments in an effort to reduce the intraoperative and postoperative challenges and complications of current surgical modalities. In this article we present a brief review of past and present maxillary osteotomy surgeries and describe our experience with a modified minimally invasive surgery in which approach to the maxilla is obtained through a smaller flap above the incisors, enabling sufficient osteotomy access, while limiting the extent of required surgical incisions and related post-operative complications.