THE EFFECT OF LOW DOSE ASPIRIN ON BLEEDING IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING MINOR ORAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES

Low Dose Aspirin in Oral Surgical Procedures

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the safely of oral surgical procedures without stopping low dose aspirin.
Study Design: Randomized controlled trial.
Place and Duration of Study: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry,
Rawalpindi, from Mar 2008 to Mar 2009.
Material and Methods: Seventy patients taking aspirin 75 to 150 mg daily and requiring minor oral surgery were included. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, group A (control group) who stopped taking aspirin and group B (intervention group) in which aspirin was not stopped. Their bleeding time (BT) and platelet count were assessed before surgery. Suturing and pressure pack were used to control bleeding. Data were entered in SPSS version 10.
Results: Out of 70 patients, 48 (68.57%) were male and 22 (31.43%) female. The mean age was 58.83 ± 10.94 years.The mean bleeding time was 2.23 ± 0.013 minutes for group A, and 2.71 ± 0.12 minutes for group B. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.01). Severe bleeding was noted in 2 patients from group A and 3 patients from group B, but local haemostatic measures were sufficient to control bleeding.
Conclusion: The patients on low dose aspirin can safely undergo routine minor oral surgical procedures, without alteration in their regular therapeutic aspirin regimen.