Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) Imitates Denosumab-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Mandibular Alveolus: A Diagnostic Challenge.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) may arise in the the alveolar ridge (in a minority of cases). Smoking, chronic mucosal injuries, and poor oral hygiene are involved in its pathogenesis. It mostly occurs to men instead of women and affects the mandible on a 3:2 ratio to the maxilla. The objective of the current study is to present an interesting case of an OSCC of the alveolar ridge mimicking jaw osteonecrosis due to denosumab, resulting in differential diagnostic dilemmas. A 78-year-old female patient, edentulous and bearing total dentures, was referred with a persistent (four months), severely painful, ulcerative lesion in the anterior lateral (right) region of the residual alveolar ridge of the mandible. Medical history referred to a long-term systemic steroid use due to sarcoidosis as well as the subcutaneous use of denosumab for osteoporosis one/month for one year. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) examination was performed where bone resorption was detected and a differential diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the jaws (ONJs) from denosumab or neoplasia was made. A biopsy was carried out, and the histological examination showed that soft tissues and underlying bone were infiltrated by abnormal, confluent, compact islands of malignant squamous cells with intense atypia and numerous mitoses indicating a moderately differentiated OSCC. Denosumab inhibits the binding of receptor activator of nuclear factor ligand (RANKL) to receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa (RANK); this decreases bone resorption and results in increased bone density. However, denosumab may induce ONJ. The area of exposed bone and abnormal soft tissue alterations may resemble both benign and malignant diseases. Osteonecrosis may mimic OSCC or may even provide the suitable substrate for the development of OSCC. Biopsy as well as bone imaging examination are required to accurately determine the possibility of neoplastic formation and its boundaries in cases of osteonecrosis especially in patients under treatment with denosumab or bisphosphonate-related ONJ (BRONJ).

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw leading to sepsis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: A case report and clinical implications.

Key Clinical Message: Chronic use of bisphosphonates, in combination with immunosuppressive therapy, increases the risk of jaw osteonecrosis. When sepsis occurs in patients receiving bisphosphonate, osteonecrosis of the jaw should be considered a potential source of infection. Abstract: Reports of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) accompanied by sepsis are limited. A 75-year-old female patient with rheumatoid arthritis, receiving treatment with bisphosphonate and abatacept, developed sepsis secondary to MRONJ. When sepsis occurs in patients receiving bisphosphonate, osteonecrosis of the jaw should be considered a potential source of infection.

Application of a Dermal Regeneration Matrix for the Surgical Treatment of an Oromaxillary Defect in Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw.

Surgical options for managing patients with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw are multiple and may range from superficial debridement to vascularized osteocutaneous free flaps. However, some protocols may not be an option in specific cases, and alternative techniques for patients who are not likely candidates for more invasive procedures may represent a suitable solution to treat these patients. Here, we report the case of a 69-year-old man who presented to the Stomatology Department with dysphagia, exposed bone, and mild mandibular pain for the past three months. The patient was diagnosed with stage III medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. Surgical debridement with sequestrum removal was performed and the remaining intraoral defect, which was unsuitable for primary closure, was addressed with a dermal regeneration matrix. This system allowed full coverage of the surgical wound. At 10 weeks of follow-up, the intraoral defect had healed completely with no need for active intervention. Dermal regeneration matrixes may represent a surgical approach to cover oromaxillary defects in select patients.

Surgical treatment of 61 consecutive patients with maxillary stage 3 medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws using a pedicled buccal fat pad.

PURPOSE: Buccal fat pad (BFP) is used for the closure of large oroantral defects caused by surgical removal of the necrotic bone in patients with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). This study aimed to evaluate the use of BFP for the closure of maxillary sinus defects in stage 3 MRONJ patients. METHODS: This study recruited 61patients with large oroantral defects caused by MRONJ, including 49 patients with cancer and 12 patients with osteoporosis. Lesions were evaluated clinically and radiographically. RESULTS: Among the 61 patients, 51 (83.6%) healed uneventfully, and 5 patients (8.2%) had local dehiscence and exposed bone; these 56 patients (91.8%) all healed after first or second operation. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status was associated with being non-cured and might be an indicator for the healing process. All patients experienced a significant increase in body weight postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggest that block resection with removal of the necrotic bone combined with radical sinusotomy and closure of the defect with BFP is a reliable method to cure MRONJ lesions with a high success rate, and successful operation and prosthetic rehabilitation may improve body weight and the quality of life. The study was approved by the appropriate ethical approval for the Copenhagen ONJ Cohort (protocol no. H-6-2013-010) November 20, 2013.

Osteonecrosis maxilar asociada con altas dosis de antirresortivos en paciente oncolólgico adulto mayor: resolución interdisciplinaria de caso clínico / Osteonecrosis of the jaw associated with high doses of antiresorptive in an elderly cancer patient: interdisciplinary resolution of a clinical case

La osteonecrosis maxilar relacionada con medicamentos (ONMM) es una patología de características clínicas objetivas con signo-sintomatología patogno-mónica. El criterio clínico aceptado es la presencia de hueso necrótico expuesto y visible sobre el reborde óseo maxilar que no ha cicatrizado luego de 8 sema-nas, en pacientes con antecedentes de tratamiento antirresortivo. La denominación relacionada con medicamentos se utiliza por el creciente número de casos asociados con otros fármacos antirresortivos como denosumab y con terapias antiangiogénicas, más allá de la conocida relación con bifosfonatos. Si bien la incidencia de ONMM en pacientes tratados por osteopatías metabólicas es muy baja, la situa-ción se torna más compleja en pacientes oncológicos con altas dosis de antirresortivos para tratamiento de metástasis ósea. Varios informes de casos des-criben cuadros de ONMM en pacientes con cáncer que reciben terapias dirigidas, específicamente TKI (inhibidores de tirosina kinasa) y anticuerpos mo-noclonales-VEGF (anticuerpos dirigidos al factor de crecimiento del endotelio vascular). La ONMM afecta negativamente la calidad de vida del paciente onco-lógico y produce comorbilidad significativa. Resulta imperioso identificar los pacientes en riesgo y dise-ñar un protocolo de atención odontológica específico para estos casos. En este artículo, se presenta un caso de ONMM asociado con altas dosis de Deno-sumab y administración simultánea de anticuerpos monoclonales específicos. El caso sorprende por la magnitud de la necrosis y su cuadro insidioso. El pro-tocolo de tratamiento descripto permitió controlar el cuadro inicial, limitar el avance de la lesión, asegurar el control del dolor y la infección, y finalmente, la cu-ración total de la lesión (AU)

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) is a pathology with objective clinical characteristics with pathognomonic signs and symp-toms. The accepted clinical criterion is the presence of exposed and visible necrotic bone on the maxillofacial region that has not healed after 8 weeks, in patients with history of antiresorptive treatment. The name medication-related is justified by the growing number of cases associated with other antiresorptive drugs such as denosumab and antiangiogenic therapies, beyond the known relationship with bisphosphonates. Although the incidence of MRONJ in patients treated for metabolic osteopathies is very low, the situation becomes more complex in cancer patients who re-ceive high doses of antiresorptives for the treatment of skeletal metastases. Several case reports describe the presence of MRONJ in cancer patients receiving targeted therapies, specifically TKI (tyrosine kinase inhibitors) and monoclonal antibodies-targeting VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor). MRONJ nega-tively affects the quality of life in cancer patients and produces significant comorbidity. It is imperative to identify patients at risk and design a specific den-tal care strategy for these cases. In this article, we present a case of MRONJ associated with high doses of Denosumab and simultaneous administration of specific monoclonal antibodies. The case is surpris-ing due to magnitude of the necrosis. The described treatment strategies made it possible to control the initial symptoms, limit the lesion progression, ensure pain and infection control, and finally, the total heal-ing of the lesion (AU)

Oral Side Effects in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving the Antiangiogenic Agent Pazopanib-Report of Three Cases.

Pazopanib is a potent multi-kinase inhibitor that hinders angiogenesis and blocks tumor growth. It has been approved for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and advanced soft tissue sarcoma. There is emerging evidence that bleeding is a common adverse effect of pazopanib and other targeted therapies in patients with mRCC. In addition, jaw osteonecrosis related to pazopanib was recently described in the literature. We report three cases of patients with mRCC who developed adverse oral events related to pazopanib. The first patient, treated with pazopanib as monotherapy, presented with gingival bleeding and oral burning sensation. The other two patients receiving pazopanib as monotherapy and pazopanib followed by sunitinib, respectively, presented complaining about mandibular pain; a diagnosis of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) was rendered in both cases. Gingival bleeding and MRONJ may develop as oral side effects of pazopanib use. The cases presented here aim to alert and inform health care professionals about the risk of adverse oral events in patients with mRCC receiving the antiangiogenic agent pazopanib.

Risk of developing spontaneous MRONJ in fibrous dysplasia patients treated with bisphosphonates: a systematic review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the risks of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) in fibrous dysplasia (FD) and McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) patients treated with bisphosphonates. METHOD AND MATERIALS: A systematic review of the literature was performed by searching PubMed and Embase databases using MeSH terms (fibrous dysplasia of bone, "fibrous dysplasia, polyostotic," osteonecrosis, jaw, therapeutics, diphosphonates, denosumab, teriparatide, estrogens, hormones, raloxifene hydrochloride, calcitonin, cathepsin K) and non-MeSH terms (antiresorptive therapy, antiresorptives, bisphosphonate, estrogen therapy, hormone therapy, bazedoxifene, cathepsin K inhibitor). Articles were limited to human studies, in English language, in which patients were on antiresorptives for at least 1 year. PRISMA statement guidelines were used to eliminate non-relevant studies. The PICOT question asked was, "Does exposure to bisphosphonates and other antiresorptives cause occurrence of MRONJ in fibrous dysplasia and fibrous dysplasia/McCune-Albright syndrome patients followed up for at least 1 year?" RESULTS: Eight eligible articles were included in the quantitative synthesis after articles were screened using a PRISMA flowchart. There were 12 reported occurrences of MRONJ among a combined total of 312 fibrous dysplasia and fibrous dysplasia/McCune-Albright syndrome patients (3.85%). CONCLUSION: Patients with fibrous dysplasia or fibrous dysplasia/McCune-Albright syndrome have a low incidence of MRONJ and may apparently have low susceptibility to spontaneous development of MRONJ.

Cuando la osteonecrosis por bisfosfonatos acecha. Reporte de un caso / When bisphosphonate osteonecrosis lurks. Report of a case

El envejecimiento progresivo de la población española puede incrementar el riesgo de padecer diversas patologías óseas como la osteoporosis, que junto con distintos procesos oncológicos suelen conllevar el consumo de fármacos como los bisfosfonatos.La toma de este tipo de medicamentos puede ocasionar efectos secundarios, como la osteonecrosis de los maxilares. Se presenta un caso clínico atendido en el Servicio de Prácticas Odontológicas de la Universidad de Zaragoza, donde tras la toma de bisfosfonatos apareció osteonecrosis mandibular. El abordaje de estos pacientes se realiza desde un punto de vista multidisciplinar, por lo que el manejo clínico fue realizado en coordinación con el Servicio de Cirugía Oral y Maxilofacial del Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet de Zaragoza. (AU)

The progressive aging of the Spanish population may increase the risk of suffering from various bone pathologies such as osteoporosis, which together with different oncological processes usually lead to the consumption of drugs such as bisphosphonates.Taking these types of drugs can cause side effects, such as osteonecrosis of the jaws. A clinical case treated in the Dental Practice Service of the University of Saragossa is presented, where after taking bisphosphonates, osteonecrosis of the jaw appeared. These patients are approached from a multidisciplinary point of view, so the clinical management was carried out in coordination with the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Service of the Miguel Servet University Hospital in Saragossa. (AU)

Exposed bone in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiation therapy: An analysis of the Observational Study of Dental Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients (OraRad).

BACKGROUND: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) treated with radiation therapy (RT) are at risk for jaw osteoradionecrosis (ORN), which is largely characterized by the presence of exposed necrotic bone. This report describes the incidence and clinical course of and risk factors for exposed intraoral bone in the multicenter Observational Study of Dental Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients (OraRad) cohort. METHODS: Participants were evaluated before RT and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after RT. Exposed bone was characterized by location, sequestrum formation, and other associated features. The radiation dose to the affected area was determined, and the history of treatment for exposed bone was recorded. RESULTS: The study enrolled 572 participants; 35 (6.1%) were diagnosed with incident exposed bone at 6 (47% of reports), 12 (24%), 18 (20%), and 24 months (8%), with 60% being sequestrum and with 7 cases (20%) persisting for >6 months. The average maximum RT dose to the affected area of exposed bone was 5456 cGy (SD, 1768 cGy); the most frequent associated primary RT sites were the oropharynx (42.9%) and oral cavity (31.4%), and 76% of episodes occurred in the mandible. The diagnosis of ORN was confirmed in 18 participants for an incidence rate of 3.1% (18 of 572). Risk factors included pre-RT extractions (P = .008), a higher RT dose (P = .039), and tobacco use (P = .048). CONCLUSIONS: The 2-year incidence of exposed bone in the OraRad cohort was 6.1%; the incidence of confirmed ORN was 3.1%. Exposed bone after RT for HNC is relatively uncommon and, in most cases, is a short-term complication, not a recurring or persistent one.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome and mandibular alveolar bone necrosis following herpes zoster: A case report and literature review.

Background: Reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus (VZV) can induce herpes zoster (HZ). Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS) occurs through the reactivation and proliferation of VZV in the geniculate ganglion, which can lead to vesicular rash in the ear or oral mucosa, accompanied by neurological disorders. Materials and methods: A 50-year-old man sought a remedy for pain in the right ear and face. Within 1 week, all his lower right teeth fell out, and in the following 3 months, his lower right mandibular alveolar bone gradually became necrotic. In the past 20 days, he experienced blister rash, hearing and taste loss, and slight facial paralysis. Results: After ruling out tumors and other infectious diseases, he was diagnosed with trigeminal HZ and RHS. Conclusion: Ramsay Hunt syndrome with tooth loss and alveolar osteonecrosis is rare. It requires long-term treatment of pain, and prevention and treatment of tooth loss and alveolar bone necrosis are difficult and warrant further study.

Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: A Critical Narrative Review.

BACKGROUND: Nearly two decades have passed since a paradoxical reaction in the orofacial region to some bone modifying agents and other drugs was recognized, namely medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). PURPOSE: The aim of this manuscript was to critically review published data on MRONJ to provide an update on key terminology, concepts, and current trends in terms of prevention and diagnosis. In addition, our objective was to examine and evaluate the therapeutic options available for MRONJ. METHODS: The authors perused the most relevant literature relating to MRONJ through a search in textbooks and published articles included in several databases for the years 2003-2021. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive update of the current understanding of these matters was elaborated, addressing these topics and identifying relevant gaps of knowledge. This review describes our updated view of the previous thematic blocks, highlights our current clinical directions, and emphasizes controversial aspects and barriers that may lead to extending the accumulating body of evidence related to this severe treatment sequela.

Mandibular osteonecrosis following herpes zoster infection: Report of a rare case with a literature review.

Any patient with a herpes zoster infection of the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve should benefit from early oral monitoring, especially in elderly population where traumatic dental prostheses are common, because osteonecrosis can occur.

Aromatase inhibitors associated osteonecrosis of jaw: signal refining to identify pseudo safety signals.

Background Signal generation through data mining algorithms is an innovative and emerging field in pharmacovigilance. Early detection of safety signals is important for public health safety. However, the possibility of generating pseudo signals should not be overlooked. Objective Our study aimed to identify potential signals of aromatase inhibitors associated Osteonecrosis of Jaw and assess the possibilities of the safety signal to be a pseudo signal/false positive in FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Setting Spontaneously reported data in FAERS database. Methods Data for this study were obtained from the public release of data in FAERS. OpenVigil, a pharmacovigilance analytical tool was used to access FAERS data. Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR) was used to assess the relation between the drug and adverse event. A value of ROR-1.96SE > 1, (SE-standard error) was considered positive. Main outcome measure Signal strength. Results FAERS database had a total of 15,178 reports for Osteonecrosis of Jaw. Amongst which 617 reports were associated with aromatase inhibitors. Signal strength ROR (lower bound of the 95% CI) for letrozole, anastrozole and exemestane associated Osteonecrosis of Jaw without any background correction was 8.34, 6.64 and 15.14 respectively. Upon removing the reports of concomitantly administered drugs (bisphosphonates and denosumab), signal strength drastically decreased to 0.03, 0.36 and 0.47 for letrozole, anastrozole and exemestane respectively. The signal strength of bisphosphonates and denosumab associated Osteonecrosis of Jaw was not changed significantly upon removal of aromatase inhibitors. Conclusion Our study concluded that the signal generated for aromatase inhibitors associated Osteonecrosis of Jaw in FAERS database can be false positive. Careful background corrections with identification of those risk factors are imperative to exclude false positive results.

New trends in adjunctive treatment and diagnosis in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw: A 10-year review.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a major disease under study for over the last twenty years. Different classifications have been proposed and many therapies for the different stages have been applied. The evolution of treatments lead to an increasingly conservative approach. Numerous adjuvant treatments have been proposed in the last decade. All these complementary treatments have been proposed mainly to resolve or reduce the painful stress, predominantly caused by bacterial infection, simplifying the wound healing process and improving patients' compliance. Nowadays "secondary" treatments, such as autologous platelet concentrates (APCs, more specifically PRP, PRGF or PRF), hyperbaric oxygen (HBO), Auto/tetracycline fluorescence-guided bone surgery (AF-GBS/TF-GBS), medical drugs like teriparatide or the combination between pentoxifylline and tocopherol, fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), laser and/or low-laser therapy and ozone therapy are more or less well documented and known considering their clinical effectiveness. The aim of the present review is the evaluation of the quantity and quality of scientific studies concerning this specific topic.

The rule of hydrogen peroxide long term rinse during a particular alveolar bone healing after ONJ injuries in a patient with periodontal disease: a 4-year radiological follow up report of a mental nerve emergence migration.

Bisphosphonate Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (BRONJ) is a pathology initially described in the early 2000s that has become increasingly common in clinical dentistry and maxillofacial practice due to the frequent use of bisphosphonates medical drugs (BPs) to treat various diseases such as osteoporosis, Paget's syndrome, osteomyelitis and in bone metastases secondary to tumors. Supragingival irrigation applied as monotherapy and in combination with root planning or BFs related bone necrosectomy revealed that supragingival irrigation with a variety of agents reduced the gingival microbial load and gingival inflammation. In this 4-year follow-up study we analyze the use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an antimicrobial agent for maintenance periodontal health, improving the longevity of teeth and oral cavity healing process.

[Diagnostic value of chromato-mass-spectrometry in patients with drug-induced jaws osteonecrosis]. / Kliniko-diagnosticheskoe znachenie khromato-mass-spektrometrii pri medikamentoznom osteonekroze cheliustei.

In patients with drag-induced jaw osteonecrosis which developed in cancer patients due to administration of bisphosphonates for metastases, the microflora of the oral cavity was examined by chromatography-mass spectrometry (HMS). The method of HMS can be used as an additional method of diagnostics in complex clinical cases with ineffective treatment.

Surgical treatment of medication-related osteonecrosis of the upper jaw: Case series.

PURPOSE: The management of maxillary medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is challenging. Therefore, identifying the proper treatment is important. This study aimed to evaluate the surgical treatment of maxillary MRONJ using single-layer closure with mucoperiosteal flap and double-layer closure with buccal fat pad flap (BFPF) and mucoperiosteal flap and to find the outcomes after rehabilitation with obturators. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted and included all surgically treated and followed-up maxillary MRONJ cases in a single center. Demographics and clinical data, stage of MRONJ, surgical treatment, and treatment outcome were collected. RESULTS: Seventy-nine lesions were included. Removal of necrotic bone was followed by coverage with mucoperiosteal flap in 60 lesions and BFPF in 14 lesions. Seven lesions (five primarily and two following unsuccessful treatment with BFPF) underwent necrectomy and were reconstructed with obturators. Complete mucosal healing was achieved in 76.7% of the lesions covered with mucoperiosteal flap. BFPF led to complete mucosal healing in 85.7% of the lesions. No complications were observed in the defects rehabilitated with obturators. CONCLUSION: Removal of necrotic bone followed by closure with mucoperiosteal flap is reliable for MRONJ treatment. BFPF is effective for closure of MRONJ-related oroantral communications (OACs).

Panoramic radiographic features that predict the development of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to clarify which panoramic radiographic features can predict the development of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ). METHODS: Participants included 24 patients treated with bisphosphonates (BP) for osteoporosis who developed osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ+ group). Controls included 179 patients treated with BP who did not have osteonecrosis (ONJ- group) and 200 patients with no history of BP administration (unmedicated group). The mandibular cortical width, mandibular cortical index (MCI), sclerosis of trabecular bone, and thickening of the lamina dura were evaluated on panoramic radiographs. RESULTS: The mandibular cortical width was significantly smaller in the ONJ- group than in the other groups. Class II MCI (semilunar defects of endosteal margin) was frequently noted on the affected and contralateral sides in the ONJ+ group but not in the ONJ- or unmedicated groups. Sclerosis of the trabecular bone was significantly more frequently observed on the affected side in the ONJ+ group than in the other groups. Thickening of the lamina dura was observed significantly more frequently in the BP-treated groups than in the unmedicated group. CONCLUSIONS: Class II MCI may be an indicator to predict the development of BRONJ. Sclerosis of trabecular bone was a characteristic imaging feature of BRONJ. Thickening of the lamina dura may be an imaging feature caused by BP administration.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients treated with denosumab: A multicenter case series.

PURPOSE: Osteonecrosis of the jaw has been recently reported in patients receiving denosumab for the treatment of metastatic bone disease and osteoporosis. It is essential to investigate this disease as a new osteonecrosis entity in order to recognize its optimal management strategies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 63 cases of denosumab-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (DRONJ) diagnosed at two clinical centres were retrospectively reviewed. Demographics, comorbidities, antiresorptive medication use, local preceding event, location, DRONJ stage, treatment and treatment outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: In all, 69 MRONJ lesions in 63 patients were diagnosed. The mean patient age was 70 ± 9 years. Denosumab was the only received antiresorptive medication in 50.8% of the patients. Discontinuation of denosumab prior to treatment was recorded for 66.7% of the patients, with a mean period of 6 ± 3.4 months. Stage 2 was the most common stage of the disease (71%). The lesions were predominantly located in the mandible (63.5%). The most common preceding local event was extraction (55.6%). Surgical treatment was performed in 95.7% of the cases, while purely conservative treatment was performed in 4.3%. DRONJ healed after surgical treatment in 71.7% of the treated lesions. Complete mucosal healing was achieved in 77.2% of the lesions treated with fluorescence-guided surgery (17/22). Clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes were not significantly different between patients with and without previous intake of bisphosphonates. CONCLUSION: DRONJ is more prevalent at extraction and local infection sites in cancer patients. Within the limitation of this study, surgical treatment, particularly fluorescence-guided surgery, appears to be effective for the management of DRONJ. The prior use of bisphosphonates does not seem to affect severity nor the treatment success rate of DRONJ.

Treatment of pathologic fractures of the mandible in stage III medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw-an observational study.

PURPOSE: The treatment of pathologic fractures in stage III medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) remains challenging. The treatment in the literature is controversial, varying from extensive and aggressive surgery with resections and musculocutaneous free flap reconstruction to conservative treatment with only mouth rinses and/or antimicrobial treatment. The purpose of this study was to analyse the results of the treatment protocol in the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2003 and 2017, a total of 15 consecutive patients were seen with pathologic fractures in stage III MRONJ. Patient characteristics and treatment were studied. RESULTS: Seven patients were dentate, and were all surgically treated according to protocol, with 3 additionally undergoing intermaxillary fixation. Eight patients were edentulous of whom 6 were surgically treated: 2 with osteosynthesis and the rest with a soft diet post-operatively for several weeks. One patient showed healing in a later stage and was not treated. Two patients were treated with antimicrobial treatment and a soft diet. Eleven patients (73%) showed complete healing of the fracture or a pseudarthrosis and were free of complaints and able to function. CONCLUSION: These results show that a relatively simple (surgical and/or antimicrobial) approach, combined with intermaxillary fixation on occasion, can lead to consolidation and/or a pseudarthrosis with a remaining and acceptable function of the jaw.