Pneumothorax after orthognathic surgery

We report the case of an 18-year-old girl who had pneumothorax two days after bimaxillary osteotomy to correct a severe Class II malocclusion. Chest radiograph showed left-sided pneumothorax with complete collapse of the underlying lung and mediastinal shift to the left. A chest drain was inserted and she made an uneventful recovery. The aetiology may be iatrogenic or spontaneous, but we have found no previous reports of pneumothorax after orthognathic surgery.