Joe Iwanaga1,2, R Shane Tubbs3,4. 1. Seattle Science Foundation, 550 17th Avenue, Suite 600, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA. iwanagajoeca@gmail.com. 2. Dental and Oral Medical Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, Fukuoka, 830-0011, Japan. iwanagajoeca@gmail.com. 3. Seattle Science Foundation, 550 17th Avenue, Suite 600, Seattle, WA, 98122, USA. 4. Department of Anatomical Sciences, St. George's University, St. George's, Grenada.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Lingual nerve (LN) palsy is a serious complication in dentistry and repaired by direct suture or a free graft technique. To our knowledge, there has been no study using a (long) buccal nerve (BN) graft as a donor for LN repair. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the location of the BN and investigate if it is feasible to reroute the BN to the LN. METHODS: Twenty-four sides from 12 fresh-frozen Caucasian cadaveric heads were used in this study. The mean age at death was 73.9 ± 13.4 years. The LN was dissected on the floor of the oral cavity medial to the third molar tooth. Next, the mucosa with the buccinator muscle, pterygomandibular raphe, and superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle on the retromolar area was retracted anteriorly to widen the pathway of the LN. Finally, the BN was cut and transposed to the LN through this widened pathway to its feasibility. RESULTS: The mean diameter of the BN and vertical distance from the horizontal part of the retromolar trigone to the BN was 1.47 ± 0.32 mm and 18.53 ± 6.21 mm, respectively. On all sides, the BN was able to be transposed to the LN without tension. CONCLUSION: Such a technique might be used for the patients with LN injury and who have lost sensation of the tongue.
PURPOSE: Lingual nerve (LN) palsy is a serious complication in dentistry and repaired by direct suture or a free graft technique. To our knowledge, there has been no study using a (long) buccal nerve (BN) graft as a donor for LN repair. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the location of the BN and investigate if it is feasible to reroute the BN to the LN. METHODS: Twenty-four sides from 12 fresh-frozen Caucasian cadaveric heads were used in this study. The mean age at death was 73.9 ± 13.4 years. The LN was dissected on the floor of the oral cavity medial to the third molar tooth. Next, the mucosa with the buccinator muscle, pterygomandibular raphe, and superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle on the retromolar area was retracted anteriorly to widen the pathway of the LN. Finally, the BN was cut and transposed to the LN through this widened pathway to its feasibility. RESULTS: The mean diameter of the BN and vertical distance from the horizontal part of the retromolar trigone to the BN was 1.47 ± 0.32 mm and 18.53 ± 6.21 mm, respectively. On all sides, the BN was able to be transposed to the LN without tension. CONCLUSION: Such a technique might be used for the patients with LN injury and who have lost sensation of the tongue.
Authors: M H K Motamedi; J Gharedaghi; S Mehralizadeh; F Navi; A Badkoobeh; N Valaei; T Azizi Journal: Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg Date: 2015-11-12 Impact factor: 2.789
Authors: Joe Iwanaga; Ken Nakamura; Fernando Alonso; Christie Kirkpatrick; Rod J Oskouian; Koichi Watanabe; R Shane Tubbs Journal: Clin Anat Date: 2018-02-22 Impact factor: 2.414