ABSTRACT
Pain is a common distressing symptom in dental practice. Depending upon the cases, different techniques are used to relieve pain. One of these is peripheral trigeminal nerve block. Peripheral trigeminal nerve block anaesthesia has proved to be an effective and convenient way to anaesthetise large regions of oral and maxillofacial complex. This block can be intraoral or extra oral. The intraoral route is through the greater palatine foramen in which the dental surgeons enter into the pterygopalatine fossa, where the maxillary nerve is situated. The morphological variations in the position of greater palatine foramen may be of clinical importance in the administration of local anaesthesia and in palatal surgery. In the present study, the distance of greater palatine foramen from the median palatine suture, and from the posterior border of hard palate have been noted, and the position of greater palatine foramen relative to the maxillary molars, as well as the direction of the foramen have been examined.
El dolor es un síntoma común y preocupante en la práctica dental. Dependiendo de los casos, diferentes técnicas se utilizan para aliviar el dolor. Una de ellas es el bloqueo periférico del nervio trigémino. Esta, ha demostrado ser una forma eficaz y conveniente para anestesiar grandes regiones del complejo oral y maxilofacial. Este bloqueo puede ser intraoral o extraoral. La vía intraoral es a través del foramen palatino mayor en la cual se ingresa en la fosa pterigopalatina, donde se encuentra el nervio maxilar. Las variaciones morfológicas en la posición del foramen palatino mayor puede ser de importancia clínica en la administración de anestesia local y en la cirugía del paladar. En el presente estudio, se examinó la distancia del foramen palatino mayor desde la sutura palatina mediana y el margen posterior del paladar duro, y su posición relativa a los molares superiores, así como la dirección del foramen palatino mayor.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Skull/anatomy & histology , Palate, Hard/anatomy & histology , Palate, Hard/innervationABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To report a case of abducens nerve palsy after a percutaneous nerve blocking procedure for trigeminal neuralgia. CASE SUMMARY: A 35-year-old female complaining of stabbing pain in the right maxillary area 4 months in duration was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia at a pain clinic. The patient underwent a percutaneous trigeminal nerve blocking procedure using alcohol at the right maxillary nerve. After the procedure, the patient was referred to an ophthalmologic service for horizontal diplopia and abduction defect of her right eye. Her corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, pupillary response, anterior segment and fundus were normal bilaterally. The patient had right esotropia of 38 prism diopters in primary gaze (70 prism diopters in right gaze, 20 prism diopters in left gaze) with limited abduction of -3 in the right eye. She was diagnosed with abducens nerve palsy of the right eye. Three months after initial presentation, the patient had intermittent esotropia of 4 prism diopters at right gaze and orthophoria at the other diagnostic gazes; she presented no diplopia. CONCLUSIONS: In the present case study, abducens nerve palsy following a percutaneous trigeminal nerve blocking procedure resolved over 3 months. Because the abducens nerve is adjacent to the trigeminal nerve near the foramen ovale based on anatomical structure, when performing a percutaneous trigeminal blocking procedure, the surgeon should be aware that deep needle puncture could cause abducens nerve palsy.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Abducens Nerve , Abducens Nerve Diseases , Diplopia , Esotropia , Eye , Foramen Ovale , Intraocular Pressure , Maxillary Nerve , Needles , Nerve Block , Pain Clinics , Punctures , Trigeminal Nerve , Trigeminal Neuralgia , Visual AcuityABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recently trigeminal nerve block with alcohol (TnbA) for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) has come to be known as a procedure with a short-term effect and high complications. There has been none of report about long-term outcome of TnbA for TN. The objective of this prospective study for the long-term results of TnbA was to analyse the pain free duration and complication after the administration of blocks and compare them in the first block and subsequent blocks. METHODS: From March 1996 to May 2005, 304 consecutive patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia were treated with TnbA including supraorbital nerve block, infraorbital nerve block, maxillary nerve (V2) block, mandibular nerve (V3) block, and V2 and V3 at the same time and were prospectively followed up every two months for 10 years. RESULTS: The mean value of pain free duation of 1st, 2nd and 3rd TnbA were 43, 38 and 48 months, respectively using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The probability of pain recurrence in 1 and 3 years after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd blocks were 25%, 25%, 20% and 53%, 54%, 34%, respectively. The pain free durations of first and subsequent blocks were not statistically different. Complications were reported at 36 (11.8%), 5 (4.2%), and 0 in 1st, 2nd and 3rd blocks. CONCLUSIONS: TnbA showed the relatively long duration of pain free and low incidence of complications. Repeated TnbA has pain free duration as long as the 1st block and less complications as well. TnbA is a valuable treatment of TN as a percutaneous procedure.