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The effect of platelet-altering medications on bleeding from minor oral surgery procedures.

Partridge CG, Campbell JH, Alvarado F

Department of Oral Surgery and Hospital Dentistry, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to assess the extent of bleeding from minor oral surgical procedures in patients taking platelet-altering medications. They were compared with patients who were not taking platelet-altering medicines to assess differences in extent of blood loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective observational study design was used to quantitatively assess the amount and severity of bleeding encountered with dentoalveolar surgery in 2 groups. The experimental group consisted of people taking therapeutic doses of platelet-altering medications, and the control group was composed of patients who had not taken a platelet-altering medication for at least 10 days prior to surgery. Surgical blood loss was measured, and the groups were compared for statistically significant differences in blood loss. RESULTS: There was no difference in blood loss detected between the experimental or control groups. No bleeding complications were encountered. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that patients on aspirin and NSAIDs can safely undergo routine minor outpatient oral surgical procedures without modification of their platelet-altering medication.

Published 17 December 2007 in J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 66(1): 93-7.
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