title: Observations on the exploration and external neurolysis of injured inferior alveolar nerves.
abstract: The inferior alveolar nerve is sometimes injured during mandibular surgery, resulting in altered sensibility. Incomplete recovery may be the result of nerve entrapment by scar tissue. Twelve patients underwent external neurolysis of the inferior alveolar nerve following prolonged sensory impairment secondary to mandibular surgery. The mean time to external neurolysis was 14 months (range 12-24 months). Five patients demonstrated improvement in sensibility, two patients returning to normal sensation. No patient had a worsening of symptoms. The results demonstrate that external neurolysis can be a useful step during surgical exploration in carefully selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dental Sciences, University of Newcastle, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4BW, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Corbett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020209:Cranial Nerve Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries