Risk factors for postoperative facial swelling at 1 week after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery in Class III patients
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2025

Real-Time Dynamic Navigation System for the Precise Quad-Zygomatic Implant Placement in a Patient with a Severely Atrophic Maxilla
Published on: October 18, 2021
Mari Shibata1, Namiaki Takahara1, Toma Kaneko2
1Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan.
Objective:
To quantify facial swelling at 1 week after Le Fort I osteotomy and bilateral sagittal splitting ramus osteotomy in Class III patients and to identify factors contributing to the swelling based on clinical, morphologic, and surgical variables.
Study Design:
Data from 63 patients were examined in this single-center, retrospective study. Facial swelling was quantitatively measured by superimposing computed tomography data taken in the supine position at 1 week and 1 year postoperatively and extracting the area of maximum intersurface distance. Age, sex, body mass index, thickness of subcutaneous tissue, and of masseter muscle, maxillary length (A-VRP), mandibular length (B-VRP), and posterior maxillary height (U6-HRP), surgical movement (ΔA-VRP, ΔB-VRP, ΔU6-HRP), drainage method, and usage of facial bandages were examined. Multiple regression analysis was performed using the above factors.
Results:
The median swelling at 1 week postoperatively was 8.35 IQR (5.99-11.47) mm. Multiple regression analysis revealed three factors that were significantly associated with facial swelling: Use of postoperative facial bandages (P=0.03), masseter muscle thickness (P=0.03), and ΔB-VRP (P=0.04).
Conclusion:
Absence of a facial bandage, thin masseter muscle, and large horizontal mandibular movement are risk factors for facial swelling at 1 week postoperatively.

