title: OSAS surgery and postoperative discomfort: phase I surgery versus phase II surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aims to investigate the reasons that discourage the patients affected by OSAS to undergo orthognathic surgery and compares the postoperative discomfort of phase I (soft tissue surgery) and phase II (orthognathic surgery) procedures for treatment of OSAS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pool of 46 patients affected by OSAS was divided into two groups: "surgery patients" who accepted surgical treatments of their condition and "no surgery patients" who refused surgical procedures. The "surgery patients" group was further subdivided into two arms: patients who accepted phase I procedures (IP) and those who accepted phase II (IIP). To better understand the motivations behind the refusal of II phase procedures, we asked the patients belonging to both the IP group and "no surgery" group to indicate the main reason that influenced their decision to avoid II phase procedures. We also monitored and compared five parameters of postoperative discomfort: pain, painkiller assumption, length of hospitalization, foreign body sensation, and diet assumption following IP and IIP procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The main reason to avoid IIP procedures was the concern of a more severe postoperative discomfort. Comparison of the postoperative discomfort following IP versus IIP procedures showed that the former scored worse in 4 out of 5 parameters analyzed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IIP procedures produce less postoperative discomfort. IIP procedures, namely, orthognathic surgery, should be the first choice intervention in patients affected by OSAS and dentoskeletal malformation.
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, Complesso Integrato Columbus, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7507-6331
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torroni
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hygiene, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3655-0904
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Nardo
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pelo
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, Complesso Integrato Columbus, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Foresta
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Boniello
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, School of Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romandini
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, Complesso Integrato Columbus, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cervelli
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, Complesso Integrato Columbus, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azzuni
authors.affiliation: Maxillo Facial Surgery, Complesso Integrato Columbus, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Tito Matteo
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Marianetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult