Long-term control of swelling after maxillo-facial surgery: a study of circaseptan reactive periodicity.

The course of swelling after maxillo-facial surgery was investigated by measuring the distance from the tragus to the pogonium. Post-operative distension does not diminish progressively, but decreases in a circaseptan rhythm. Antiphlogistic agents reduce the extent of the post-surgical swelling, but they also disturb the circaseptan reactive periodicity. This could indicate either an acceleration of the wound healing or a damping down or disturbance of the regeneration mechanisms of the organism. Although this question is of considerable clinical importance, present research has not yet provided an answer.