Continuous Mandibular Nerve Block for Intractable Mandibular Pain Due to Antiresorptive Agent-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: A Case Report

摘要

Antiresorptive agent-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (ARONJ) causes severe pain that cannot becontrolled well by common analgesic drugs. This is a first case report of intractable mandibular pain dueto ARONJ that was eliminated by a continuous mandibular nerve block. A 72-year-old woman withosteoporosis had been administered bisphosphonate. One year after extraction of her tooth, she wasdiagnosed as having ARONJ. Jaw pain was so severe that she was unable to open her mouth and eat. Weperformed a continuous mandibular nerve block through an indwelling catheter with levobupivacaine forpain management. After the procedure, her rest pain was markedly improved, and the pain induced byopening her mouth disappeared. We conclude that a continuous mandibular nerve block may be helpful inthe management of ARONJ.