Is Same-Day Discharge Safe Following Orthognathic Surgery?

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes Research
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Outpatient orthognathic surgery is gaining traction due to cost pressures and enhanced recovery protocols.
• The safety of same-day discharge following orthognathic surgery requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare postoperative outcomes between patients discharged the same day (day surgery [DS]) and those admitted overnight (same-day admission [SDA]) after orthognathic surgery.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study analyzed 464 orthognathic surgery patients (July 2019-December 2023).
• Admission status (DS vs. SDA) was the primary predictor.
• Propensity score weighting and logistic regression adjusted for covariates to assess complication rates within 30 days.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in emergency department visits (3.5% vs. 2.2%), return to OR (2.5% vs. 2.7%), or overall complication rates (5.7% vs. 4.9%) between DS and SDA groups.
• Adjusted analysis showed no significant difference in postoperative complications (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 0.27-7.62; P = .8).

Conclusions:

• Same-day discharge following orthognathic surgery is safe and feasible for carefully selected patients.
• A standardized pathway has been developed to guide patient selection and integrate into enhanced recovery protocols.