Effect of imatinib on oral wound healing after extraction: A rare case report

Proper tissue repair and healing after oral surgery are vital to achieve optimal outcomes. Certain medications may interfere with wound healing, but this debilitating adverse drug reaction is often not reported in the literature. It is unknown whether imatinib (Gleevec; Novartis Pharmaceuticals) interferes with gingival healing after oral surgery.

A 58-year-old man with a dislodged crown and core buildup of tooth no. 19 sought treatment at a prosthodontic clinic. After examination, the patient consented to extraction, ridge preservation, and future implant placement. He had previous surgical resection of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor and was taking 400 mg of imatinib daily. After extraction and ridge preservation, delayed soft-tissue healing and loss of the coronal portion of bone graft were observed at 8 weeks after surgery. Delayed wound healing was observed again after revision surgery. After imatinib therapy was paused, the adverse effect subsided and the wound healed properly. On the basis of causality assessment and clinical judgment, the authors determined that imatinib was the probable cause of this adverse drug reaction. To their best knowledge, this is the first report of delayed gingival healing after oral surgery secondary to imatinib.

Dental practitioners should consider the possibility of impaired healing among their patients taking imatinib, especially before procedures that damage gingival tissue, although this adverse drug reaction is not reported in the drug's package insert. Consult with the patient's oncologist is advised before dental manipulations; temporary discontinuation (or dose reductions) of imatinib may be warranted until wounded tissue heals properly.