Introduction: One of the elements to determine the need for care of a disease is the morbidity, in order to design health programs that cover the needs of the population. The purpose of this study is to analyze the amount and type of interventions in maxillofacial surgery performed under general anesthesia in the operating room of the Base Hospital of Valdivia, between 2005 and 2010.

Material and methods: We performed a retrospective analysis. Sample consisted of 511 patients that belong to the maxillofacial surgery department of the Base Hospital of Valdivia, operated under general anesthesia. Data were obtained from the central registry of the hospital ward and grouped into 6 categories according to type of procedure performed.

Results: During the study period 525 procedures were performed under general anesthesia. The highest percentages were for maxillofacial trauma (29%), oral surgery (26%) and followed by difficult manage patients (18%), orthognathic surgery (9%), cleft lip-palate (8%), tumors (7%), and maxillofacial pathology (3%).

Conclusions: Most surgeries corresponding to oral surgery and surgical treatment of fractures that are not elective surgeries without showing a clear pattern of increase or decrease over time. The data obtained in the statistical record set will allow to create in the future treatment protocols to optimize patient care.

Conflict of interest: None declared.