Smoking as a Significant Risk Factor for Infections After Orthognathic Surgery

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine risk factors for infections after orthognathic surgery. This was a retrospective cohort study, including files of patients who had undergone 1-jaw orthognathic surgery (ie, bilateral sagittal split osteotomy or Le Fort I osteotomy) during a 7-year period. The outcome variable was surgical site infection. Predictor variables were age, gender, general disease, smoking habit, site of orthognathic surgery, duration of operation, type of osteosynthesis material, and use of postoperative drainage. Data analysis was performed with χ(2) test and logistic regression analysis. In total 286 patients met the inclusion criteria (174 women, 60.8%). Patients' age range was 17 to 56.5 years (average, 34.8 years). The infection rate was 9.1%. The only statistically significant risk factor for infection was smoking. The results emphasize the importance of preoperative patient information about smoking. Orthognathic surgery, because of the long orthodontic preoperative treatment period, provides a good opportunity to encourage and assist patients to cease smoking and thus avoid an increased risk for postoperative infections.