Symptomatic venous thromboembolism in orthognathic surgery and distraction osteogenesis: a retrospective cohort study of 4127 patients

Systematic review of thromboprophylaxis in patients having orthognathic surgery

Orthognathic surgery is an elective procedure that is done in healthy individuals so complications such as thromboembolic events are rare. Pharmacological thromboprophylaxis, which reduces the risk of these events, may also increase blood loss and potentially the risk of life-threatening haemorrhage, so a state of clinical equipoise exists about whether it should be given routinely. We systematically reviewed published papers to identify the incidence of venous thromboembolism and haemorrhage in patients treated by orthognathic surgery who were, and were not, given pharmacological thromboprophylaxis. The pooled incidence of thromboembolic events was 0% in those who were, and 0.19% in those who were not. Return to theatre to control bleeding was required in 2.72% of the patients treated at centres where it was given, and in 0.55% at those where it was not. Small sample sizes, the heterogeneity of treatment protocols, and incomplete reporting made further statistical analysis impossible. The incidence of venous thromboembolism in patients who have orthognathic surgery is low when compared with the rest of the hospital population. Although pharmacological thromboprophylaxis may further reduce this, it can also increase blood loss, and uncertainty therefore remains over the best protocol for its routine use. The risk stratification of individual patients, and large randomised controlled trials are now required to establish the best treatment.

Orthognathic Surgery-Induced Fibrinolytic Shutdown Is Amplified by Tranexamic Acid

PURPOSE

Little is known of the systemic effects of oral and maxillofacial surgery on the hemostatic balance, including the biochemical effects of tranexamic acid (TXA), on fibrin clot lysis. The present study investigated the effects of orthognathic surgery on fibrin lysis, fibrin structure, and D-dimer and evaluated the effect of TXA on these fibrinolytic measures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present double-blind, controlled, and randomized, placebo study included patients referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University Hospital of Southern Denmark-Esbjerg from August 2014 through September 2016. The patients were elective and had a diagnosis of maxillary or mandibular deficiency, either excessive or asymmetric. All patients underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery (OS) with or without maxillary segmentation or additional genioplasty. The patients were blindly randomized to treatment with TXA or placebo. The primary predictor variable was OS. The secondary predictor variable was an intravenous dose of 1 g of TXA or equivalent placebo preoperatively. Blood samples were collected before surgery and 5 hours after the initiation of surgery. The primary outcome variable was lysis of fibrin. The fibrin structure properties and D-dimer were secondary outcome measures. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the within-group comparisons. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for the between-group comparisons.

RESULTS

The sample included 96 patients; 45 received placebo and 51 received TXA. Fibrin lysis decreased after OS (P < .001). The fibrinolytic shutdown decreased significantly more in the TXA group than in the placebo group (P < .001). OS altered the fibrin structure properties with comparable effects in the 2 groups. D-dimer increased postoperatively but significantly less so in the TXA group than in the control group (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

OS is associated with fibrinolytic shutdown and alters fibrin structure properties, driving the hemostatic balance in a prothrombotic direction. The fibrinolytic shutdown is significantly amplified by TXA.

An Unusual Case of Deep Vein Thrombosis After Orthognathic Surgery: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is caused primarily by obstruction of blood flow in the deep veins in the lower limbs. It is a form of thrombophlebitis and can be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. This report describes an unusual case of DVT in a 21-year-old woman with Class III malocclusion who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery (bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and Le Fort I osteotomy) under general anesthesia. She developed DVT unexpectedly 1 week after surgery, with episodes of sweating and chills in addition to lower limb edema, tenderness, and rigidity. D-dimer laboratory testing and venous Doppler sonography were performed and the DVT diagnosis was confirmed; therefore, the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit for anticoagulant and supportive therapy. Although the incidence rate of thromboembolism in hospitalized patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery is low, it is not an operation without risk of DVT. This complication can cause fatal acute pulmonary thromboembolism and death. This case study illustrates that pharmacologic treatment of menorrhagia with mefenamic acid combined with intraoperative use of tranexamic acid for control of blood loss might put the patient at increased risk of DVT. Hence, maxillofacial surgeons should assess all their patients preoperatively for thromboembolism risk; if they suspect any risk factors in the patient, prompt diagnostic tests and management should be ordered.

Orthognathic Surgery: A Review of Articles Published in 2014-2015

OBJECTIVES

We did a retrospective study and reviewed some of the orthognathic surgery related papers that were published between January 2014 and December 2015 in a leading International Maxillofacial Surgery Journal. It was conducted to ascertain the trends of articles being published.

METHOD

A total of around 57 articles were reviewed, of which most of the full length articles were on post operative outcomes and obstructive sleep apnoea.

RESULTS

Bulk of the studies were retrospective, and less interest was shown onto experimental researches.

CONCLUSION

A thorough review and analysis thus gives an impression that there is a high requirement of well designed clinical studies.