Injured Anterior Superior Alveolar Nerve Endoscopically Resected within Maxillary Sinus

Abstract

Posttraumatic facial pain is due to an injured nerve, most often a branch of the trigeminal nerve. While surgical approaches to injuries of the supraorbital, supratrochlear, infraorbital, and inferior alveolar nerves have been reported, an injury to the anterior superior alveolar nerve (ASAN) has not been reported. An algorithm is proposed for the diagnosis of injury to the ASAN versus the infraorbital nerve itself. A case is reported in which pain relief was achieved by dividing the ASAN within the maxillary sinus, leaving the proximal end exposed within the sinus at the level of the orbital floor.