Abstract
Clinical path (path) is generally applied to acute surgical cases. Therefore, orthognathic surgery is proper for using the path. Thus, we introduced the path for sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) in 2003. This time, we examined 75 path cases from 2003 to 2007 and 56 cases that did not use the path from 2000 to 2002 in order to evaluate the effect of the path.
As a result, we could cut 1 day of the hospitalization period with management by the path. There were no differences with regard to surgical time, amount of bleeding and incidence of complications during and after surgery. We prepared no autologous blood transfusions. Infection after surgery did not occur in the path cases, even though we reduced the antimicrobial. Few abnormal remarks were found regarding the blood tests carried out 7 days after surgery.
Once the path is introduced, it is necessary to check and reform it periodically. According to this survey, it was suggested that we could shorten the hospitalization period a few more days. We did not have to change the method of surgery or prepare autologous blood transfusions at all. It will be possible to reduce a few more days of the administration period for antimicrobial to prevent infection.
