Numb chin syndrome in sickle cell disease: a case series of Jamaican patients

Numb chin syndrome is an uncommon presentation that has been reported as secondary to metastatic disease, trauma, and infections of the maxilla, mandible, or oral cavity. The hypoesthesia, paraesthesia, or pain are a result of injury to the inferior alveolar nerve, which is particularly vulnerable as it exits the mandible through the mandibular foramen as the mental nerve. In persons with sickle cell disease, it has been reported as a manifestation of mandibular vaso-occlusive crisis. This case series presents 13 patients with sickle cell disease who presented with numb chin syndrome, the largest number of cases that has been described in the literature to date. The report illustrates the wide variety of presentations and therefore possible differential diagnoses to consider. In this case series, the symptoms were associated with vaso-occlusive crises, allergic reactions, dental infections, malignancy, rheumatoid arthritis, and pregnancy. Most appeared to be self-limiting; however, one patient was having his second episode, and the numbness has persisted in three patients. The series illustrates that it is important not only to ensure that the source of the local vaso-occlusive crisis is treated, but also to not miss important differentials such as metastatic disease, where this can be the first presentation of malignancy and would represent a very poor prognosis. There is no reported successful treatment for the hypoesthesia in this case series, and this presents an area for further research.