Summary
Bisphosphonates are widely used as bone-stabilizers in the treatment of osseous metastases, osteoporosis, Paget’s disease and others, due to their ability to inhibit osteoclast activity and antitumor effects. Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw, nowadays medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), is defined as the presence of exposed, non-vascularized and necrotic bone tissue in the oral cavity over a period of 8 weeks with a current or previous history of treatment with antiresorptive (bisphosphonates, RANKL ligand inhibitor) and/or antiangiogenic agents, and no history of radiation therapy to the jaws or obvious metastatic disease to the jaws. The frequency of MRONJ is unclear. The mandible appears to be more frequently affected by MRONJ than the maxilla. Isolated cases of maxillary MRONJ have been described in wich a simultaneous sinusitis maxillaris was diagnosed. Three cases of MRONJ associated with maxillaris sinusitis are presented. All cases were females with a positive history of breast cancer and bisphosphonate therapy. The first two, developed MRONJ after a third molar upper extraction. The third case with MRONJ, had a history of periodontal curettage. A computed tomography was performed and showed a maxillary sinus compromise in all patients. Imaging modalities to evaluate the extent of the necrosis and the sinus compromise, as also treatment options were described in this study. Finally, an updated literature review is presented.
KEY WORDS: bisphosphonates, medicationrelated osteonecrosis, sinusitis.
How to cite this article
FIGUEROA, L.; SÁEZ, F.; ALVARADO, B.; GALLARDO, P. & CIFUENTES, J. Maxillary sinusitis associated to bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis in patients with breast cancer: Case series. Int. J. Odontostomat., 9(3):449-455, 2015.
