Objective: Chronic craniomandibular/cervical pain and temporomandibular disorders have not been studied in patients who had a craniotomy several years previously. The aim of the current clinical work was to address these issues.
Methods: A total group of 150 ambulant patients who had a previous craniotomy was subclassified according to whether or not the temporalis muscle was manipulated.
Results: The average incidence of multiple subsite regional head and neck pain was 69.3% a number of years after a craniotomy. Evidence of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint was significantly higher in the group that required manipulation of the temporalis muscle during the procedure.
Conclusion: The pattern of chronic craniomandibular/cervical pain experienced years after a craniotomy supports the brain neuromatrix theory of pain.
Keywords: Craniotomy; brain pain neuromatrix; craniomandibular pain; temporomandibular disorder.