• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.461-470
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• 2001

A unhealthy 58-year-old male patient required extraction of left upper second molar due to advanced periodontitis. Lidocaine contained 1 : 100000 epinephrine for left posterior superior alveolar nerve block was administered in the mucobuccal fold above the second molar to be treated at the local private dental clinic. After four hours of posterior superior alveolar block anesthesia, patient feeled double vision and discomfort of eyeball movement. At next day, he complained difficulty of left eyeball movement, vertigo and diplopia. He was referred to our department via local clinic and department of ophthalomology of our hospital. He was treated by medication and eyeball exercise, and then follow up check. The double vision and medial rectus muscle palsy disappeared patially after 2 months of block anesthesia. We described herein an ocular complication of diplopia and inferior rectus muscle palsy after posterior superior alveolar nerve block for extraction of left upper second molar, and review the cause or origin of this case. The autonomic nervous system is presented as the logical basis for the untoward systems of ophthalmologic sign likely to diplopia and inferior rectus muscle palsy, rather then simple circulation of anesthetic solution in the vascular network.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2022

Posterior superior alveolar nerve block (PSANB) is one of the most common and safe injection techniques in the field of dentistry. As with any other procedure, it also has inherent complications, of which ophthalmic complications are relatively rare. Transient diplopia following the administration of PSANB is rare and daunting for both the patient and the clinician. We present a case of transient diplopia in a 26-year-old female patient following administration of PSANB and review its probable pathophysiology and management and prevention.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.213-220
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• 2023

Background: Third molar extraction is the most commonly performed minor oral surgical procedure in outpatient settings and requires regional anesthesia for pain control. Extraction of the maxillary molars commonly requires both posterior superior alveolar nerve block (PSANB) and greater palatine nerve block (GPNB), depending on the nerve innervations of the subject teeth. We aimed to study the effectiveness of PSANB alone in maxillary third molar (MTM) extraction. Methods: A sample size comprising 100 erupted and semi-erupted MTM was selected and subjected to study for extraction. Under strict aseptic conditions, the patients were subjected to the classical local anesthesia technique of PSANB alone with 2% lignocaine hydrochloride and adrenaline 1:80,000. After a latency period of 10 min, objective assessment of the buccal and palatal mucosa was performed. A numerical rating scale and visual analog scale were used. Results: In the post-latency period of 10 min, the depth of anesthesia obtained in our sample on the buccal side extended from the maxillary tuberosity posteriorly to the mesial of the first premolar (15%), second premolar (41%), and first molar (44%). This inferred that anesthesia was effectively high until the first molars and was less effective further anteriorly due to nerve innervation. The depth of anesthesia on the palatal aspect was up to the first molar (33%), second molar (67%), and lateromedially; 6% of the patients received anesthesia only to the alveolar region, whereas 66% received up to 1.5 cm to the mid-palatal raphe. In 5% of the cases, regional anesthesia was re-administered. An additional 1.8 ml PSANB was required in four patients, and another patient was administered a GPNB in addition to the PSANB during the time of extraction and elevation. Conclusion: The results of our study emphasize that PSANB alone is sufficient for the extraction of MTM in most cases, thereby obviating the need for poorly tolerated palatal injections.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.227-231
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• 2022

Although rare, complications can occur with anesthetic procedures. The posterior superior alveolar nerve (PSAN) block anesthetic technique has a high success rate, but positive aspiration can cause bruising, transient diplopia, blurred vision, and temporary blindness in approximately 3% cases. When edema occurs, it is occasionally massive, especially in the infratemporal fossa, and the resulting hematoma is usually unsightly. A 20-year-old woman presented with massive edema followed by hematoma in the upper right jaw immediately after PSAN block administration, which subsequently spread to the oral mucosa. The patient did not report any complications during the anesthetic procedure. However, after the injection was administered, the patient experienced anesthetic sensations, which rapidly evolved to facial edema. There was mild pain, but without intraoral or extraoral bleeding. The patient was prescribed medicines and instructed to perform contrast therapy. Although hematomas and edema are rare, they are difficult to prevent. The choice of local anesthetic and appropriate application of the anesthetic technique can minimize their occurrence.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.451-459
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• 2021

Background: Lignocaine with adrenaline is routinely used as a local anesthetic for dental procedures. Adrenaline was added to increase the duration of anesthesia. However, epinephrine containing a local anesthetic solution is not recommended in conditions such as advanced cardiovascular diseases and hyperthyroidism. Recently, ropivacaine has gained popularity as a long-acting anesthetic with superior outcomes. The goal of this study was to assess and compare the effectiveness of 0.75% ropivacaine alone and 2% lignocaine with adrenaline (1:80,000) in the removal of bilateral maxillary wisdom teeth using the posterior superior alveolar nerve block technique. Methods: This was a single-blind, randomized, split-mouth, prospective study assessing 15 systemically sound outpatients who needed bilateral removal of maxillary third molars. We randomly allocated the sides and sequences of ropivacaine and lignocaine with adrenaline administration. We evaluated the efficacy of both anesthetics with regard to the onset of anesthesia, intensity of pain, variation in heart rate, and blood pressure. Results: The onset of anesthesia was faster with lignocaine (138 s) than with ropivacaine (168 s), with insignificant differences (p = 0.001). There was no need for additional local anesthetics in the ropivacaine group, while in the lignocaine with adrenaline group, 2 (13.3%) patients required additional anesthesia. Adequate intraoperative anesthesia was provided by ropivacaine and lignocaine solutions. No significant difference was observed in the perioperative variation in blood pressure and heart rate. Conclusion: Ropivacaine (0.75%) is a safe and an adrenaline-free local anesthetic option for posterior superior alveolar nerve block, which provides adequate intraoperative anesthesia and a stable hemodynamic profile for the removal of the maxillary third molar.