An Innovative Analgesic Approach to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery : Ultrasound-guided Maxillary and Mandibular Nerve Blocks

Abstract

  Oral and maxillofacial surgeries are often associated with severe pain and complications postoperatively. Postoperative analgesia for highly invasive procedures commonly involves continuous intravenous opioid infusion. However, increased opioid dosage elevates the risk of life-threatening complications. Therefore, analgesic methods that reduce opioid dosage are desirable. In modern times, multimodal analgesia, including ultrasound-guided nerve blocks, is recommended to ensure safe and effective postoperative pain management in many surgical procedures. In oral and maxillofacial surgeries, ultrasound-guided maxillary and mandibular nerve blocks have recently attracted attention as effective analgesic methods. Some research indicates that these techniques effectively reduce postoperative pain scores and opioid consumption. This article will examine the technical aspects of ultrasound-guided nerve blocks and consider their potential as a foundation for multimodal analgesia, drawing on research evaluating the effective range of ultrasound-guided alveolar nerve blocks using cadavers in search of safer and more efficient methods.