A novel intraoperative infection detecting liquid for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

Masahiro Kubo1, Satomi Arimoto2, Kazuki Shigenaga1

  • 1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-2, Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.

Insights

Phloxine dye effectively identifies infected bone during surgery for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). This novel staining method aids in differentiating infected bone, potentially improving MRONJ treatment outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a severe complication of antiresorptive medications.
  • Current treatment strategies for MRONJ lack definitive intraoperative guidance for infection detection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and evaluate a novel, inexpensive intraoperative infection-detecting liquid for MRONJ using widely available dyes.
  • To assess the efficacy of selected dyes in differentiating infected bone areas during MRONJ surgery.

Main Methods:

  • A rat model of MRONJ was used to screen five different dyes (acid red, Brilliant Blue, phloxine, methylene blue, Rose Bengal).
  • Phloxine and Brilliant Blue were selected for further study in 28 rats with experimentally induced MRONJ.
  • Surgical removal of stained areas, followed by histological and microcomputed tomography analyses after eight weeks.

Main Results:

  • Phloxine staining demonstrated significant potential in differentiating infected bone from healthy bone.
  • The phloxine group showed a significantly smaller area of oral mucosal swelling compared to undyed and Brilliant Blue groups.
  • Osteonecrosis area was significantly reduced in the phloxine group versus the undyed group.

Conclusions:

  • Phloxine staining is a promising tool for intraoperative identification of infected bone in MRONJ cases.
  • This method can aid surgeons in achieving more precise debridement, potentially improving treatment efficacy for MRONJ.