Ultrasound-guided maxillary and inferior alveolar nerve blocks for postoperative analgesia in gnathoplasty

Gnathoplasty, plastic and reconstructive surgery of the jaw, is an invasive surgery with intense postoperative pain. Although local anesthetic by the surgeon and intravenous opioids were administered to prevent the pain, the opioid can cause postoperative nausea and vomiting, resulting in a delayed postoperative ambulation. Maxillary and inferior alveolar nerve blocks are performed in patients with refractory trigeminal neuralgia.1 However, there have been few studies evaluating the analgesic effects of these blocks for gnathoplasty. We report a successful case of gnathoplasty managed with a combination of bilateral maxillary and inferior alveolar nerve blocks under ultrasound guidance for perioperative pain control.