[Sagittal osteotomy of the mandibular ramus. Anatomical and technical considerations. Apropos of 2 complications]

Two patients developed complications, one a facial palsy and one a carotid artery pseudo-aneurysm, following sagittal osteotomy of the rami of the mandible, as previously described by Trauner - Obwegeser and Dalpont . The responsibility of compressive phenomena provoked by mandibular retraction in the appearance of these complications is evoked, together with the risk of recurrence. To avoid this compression of retromandibular soft tissues a technique of sagittal osteotomy of the rami of the mandible is performed, based on the lines first described by Dalpont in 1961 and adopted by Epker in 1977. This well-founded procedure is a result of applying the anatomical structure of the mandible and its muscle insertions to the development of the surgical procedure.