What Researchers Did
Doctors describe the case of a woman who developed a broken jaw and an unusual thigh bone fracture after taking a bisphosphonate drug for osteoporosis.
What They Found
This case report describes a 63-year-old woman treated with 70 mg of alendronate weekly for 2 years who developed medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (stage 3) leading to a pathologic mandibular fracture, alongside an atypical femoral fracture with osteomyelitis. Surgeons treated the jaw fracture with internal fixation, debridement, and sequestrectomy, and a second surgery to remove two mandibular implants was needed to control the infection. After stopping alendronate and completing 30 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the jaw fracture was fully healed at the 3-year follow-up with no signs of infection or exposed bone. The authors note these adverse effects occurred with short-term bisphosphonate therapy, not just long-term use.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This is a single case report, so the findings cannot be generalized to all patients taking bisphosphonates and cannot establish that hyperbaric oxygen therapy alone caused the healing.