Nota Clínica

Numb chin syndrome caused by biphosphonates-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw

F. Sierra-Hidalgo, E. de Pablo-Fernández, E. Correas-Callero, A. Villarejo-Galende [REV NEUROL 2009;49:190-192] PMID: 19621321 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33588/rn.4904.2009270

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Volumen 49 | Number 04 | Nº of views of the article 12.667 | Nº of PDF downloads 394 | Article publication date 16/08/2009

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ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION Numb chin syndrome is caused by a mental or inferior alveolar nerve neuropathy. Traumatic and infectious injuries are the most frequent causes of the syndrome but, if an evident cause does not exist, a neoplastic etiology must be investigated. Other causes of the numb chin syndrome are rare.

CASE REPORT A 73-year-old woman had had a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer and was been treated with zoledronic acid. She attended because of hypoesthesia and dysesthesia of the chin congruent with mental nerve distribution. A computed tomography of the jaw showed an osteolytic lesion with central bone sequestration, so biphosphonate-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw was diagnosed. After zoledronic acid was withdrawn, clinical neuropathy and imaging findings remained stable.

CONCLUSIONS Biphosphonates-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw is a recently described condition. It has been rarely reported as a cause for numb chin syndrome. In the future, osteonecrosis of the jaw must be considered in the differential diagnosis of this syndrome in cancer patients treated with biphosphonates. KeywordsBiphosphonates Cancer Computed tomography Inferior alveolar nerve Mental nerve Metastases Numb chin syndrome Osteonecrosis of the jaw Trigeminal nerve Zoledronic acid

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Nota Clínica

Numb chin syndrome caused by biphosphonates-induced osteonecrosis of the jaw