Successful Treatment of Nonunion After Sliding Genioplasty

Abstract

Because chin is a major component of the lower face, underprojection, overprojection, and asymmetry of chin have been addressed via various surgical approaches. Sliding genioplasty is a popular technique to resolve this problem. This technique is rarely known to have postoperative complications, including nonunions. We experienced 1 case of nonunion after sliding genioplasty and treated it successfully. A 25-year-old woman who underwent sliding genioplasty 10 years ago at a local clinic visited our institute owing to displeasing appearance of the chin. Ten months ago, nonunion was diagnosed, and the patient underwent a second operation. We performed a longer incision than the previous operation and removed screws, plate, and an alloplastic material that was inserted previously. Shaving of the nonunion margins, refixation, and recontouring were performed, and bone chips acquired from the recontouring procedure were inserted into the interim space. During follow-up, no complications were observed, and bone union was completed on radiologic examination. Appropriate fixation is very important to prevent nonunion after sliding genioplasty. For appropriate fixation, getting a sufficient surgical field is indispensable, and shaving the nonunion margins, refixation, and bone chip implantation are helpful to address this complication.