title: Altered sensation after orthognathic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the natural recovery of neurologic injury after orthognathic surgery based on subjective neurologic evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  From December 2007 through June 2008, 47 patients (26 male, 21 female) from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital who had been treated with orthognathic surgery were identified. Subjective neurologic evaluation was performed 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. Orthognathic surgery included bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO), BSSO plus genioplasty, BSSO plus Le Fort I, and BSSO plus Le Fort I plus genioplasty.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensory changes occurred at the chin (55.7%) and lip (27.3%). Most patients reported an altered sensation when these body parts were touched. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were 1.63 ± 1.89 (1 month postoperatively), 0.92 ± 1.34 (3 months postoperatively), and 0.95 ± 1.60 (6 months postoperatively); these values were not significantly different. VAS scores for altered sensation were 5.40 ± 2.83 (1 month postoperatively), 4.00 ± 2.35 (3 months postoperatively), and 3.36 ± 2.89 (6 months postoperatively). These differences were significant. For each surgery, the VAS of paresthesia decreased as time elapsed. The VAS of the altered sensation differed significantly after 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months whether or not genioplasty was performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that the altered sensation that may develop after orthognathic surgery is an unavoidable complication. Nevertheless, with time, the condition may resolve spontaneously. In patients who underwent simultaneous genioplasty, the incidence of altered sensation was high but was not significantly associated with the age of the patient or the performance of simultaneous maxillary surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Section of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Kyun
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Su-Gwan
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002680:Chin / Q000601:surgery; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000601:surgery; D020220:Facial Nerve Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery; D008437:Maxilla / Q000601:surgery; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D024343:Open Bite / Q000601:surgery; D056948:Orthognathic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011378:Prognathism / Q000601:surgery; D020127:Recovery of Function; D057566:Self Report; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult