Sliding genioplasty as a local anesthetic outpatient procedure: a prospective two-center trial

A two-center (U.C.L.A. and Georgetown) prospective trial was planned to examine sliding genioplasty as an outpatient local anesthetic procedure. Thirty-nine patients, 14 male and 25 female, underwent the procedure. Average operating time was 43 minutes (range 15 to 70 minutes). Perioperative pain was remarkably mild, and patient satisfaction was extremely high, even among patients unhappy from previous chin implants. The overall complication rate was 20 percent, including two wound infections and one mental nerve injury. Both wound infections resolved uneventfully without detracting from the final result. Neither bleeding nor airway problems were encountered. An osseus genioplasty is a useful technique for correction of the hypoplastic chin. This technique may be performed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia with minimum pain and excellent patient acceptance. In light of the low risk and favorable results from this procedure, we recommend this technique as a practical alternative to alloplastic chin augmentation in selected patients.