Subjective assessment of facial aesthetics after maxillofacial orthognathic surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea

Abstract We aimed to evaluate the subjective perception of facial appearance by patients after maxillofacial surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and explored the possible correlation between satisfaction and surgical outcome. A total of 26 patients, 24 men and 2 women (mean (SD) age 45 (7) years), subjectively assessed their facial appearance before and after operation using a visual analogue scale (VAS). To investigate a possible association between postoperative facial appearance and surgical outcome, we analysed postoperative scores for the apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). Postoperatively, 14 (54%) indicated that their facial appearance had improved, 4 (15%) recorded a neutral score, and 8 (31%) a lower score. The rating of facial appearance did not correlate with changes in the AHI or ESS following surgery. This study supports the view that most patients are satisfied with their appearance after maxillofacial orthognathic surgery for OSA. The subjective perception of facial aesthetics was independent of the surgical outcome.