Conference Coverage

Patients Aged 60 Years and Older Face Higher Risk of Non-Surgical Complications After Mandibular Fracture Repair

Kate Young

Key Highlights

  • Non-surgical complications occurred in 8.26% of patients after mandibular fracture repair.
  • Patients aged 60 and older years had more than twice the risk of complications compared with younger patients.
  • Associated injuries and multiple facial fractures were significant predictors of complications.
  • Complications led to longer hospital stays, emphasizing the need for closer monitoring in high-risk groups.

In a recent study presented at the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Annual Meeting, on-surgical complications following mandibular fracture repair occurred in just over 8% of patients, with adults aged 60 and older facing more than double the likelihood of complications compared with younger patients, and associated injuries further elevated this risk.

Mandibular fracture repair with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is well-studied for surgical site-related complications; however, less attention has been paid to systemic or non-surgical outcomes. Complications such as pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and cardiac events can have significant implications for patient recovery, particularly in older or more medically complex individuals. This study addressed the need to better understand these risks to improve patient care.

The investigation was a retrospective cohort analysis conducted at University Medical Center New Orleans between 2018 and 2023. It included 884 patients aged 16 years and older who underwent ORIF for mandibular fractures. The primary predictor variable was patient age, with additional attention to injury-related factors. Outcomes were defined as non-surgical site complications, assessed using descriptive statistics, risk ratios, and multivariate logistic regression.

Overall, 73 patients (8.26%) experienced complications, with gastrointestinal (27.9%), cardiac (19.8%), and other systemic events (38.4%) being most common. These events typically occurred within two weeks of surgery. Older age was strongly associated with higher complication risk in univariate analysis (OR 2.57), though age lost significance after adjustment. Associated injuries (aOR 3.56) and inpatient status remained robust predictors. Importantly, patients with complications required longer hospitalizations, with a median increase of 4 days (P < .001).

“Non-surgical complications were observed in 8.26% of patients after mandibular fracture ORIF,” Vegrzyn and colleagues concluded. “Notably, the complication rate was significantly higher in patients aged ≥60 years compared to those <60 years, emphasizing the increased vulnerability of older adults to such complications.”

Reference:
Vegrzyn J, James JJ, Jahde T, Vercher J. Evaluation of non-surgical site complications following mandibular fracture repair among elderly patients. Presented at: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Annual Meeting; September 15-20, 2025; Washington, DC.