Systemic Disease and Bleeding Disorders for the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Treatment of the Dental Patient with Bleeding Dyscrasias: Etiologies and Management Options for Surgical Success in Practice

The oral health care provider sees a significant number of patients in his or her practice who suffer from systemic diseases affecting the ability to clot. These medical issues can be acquired or inherited bleeding dyscrasias requiring pharmacologic therapy during the perioperative period. Patients with inherited or acquired bleeding disorders require careful attention with respect to the assessment of bleeding risk. This article develops algorithms to manage acquired and inherited bleeding dyscrasias. These approaches include a discussion of the epidemiology of bleeding disorders in surgical patients, mechanism of hemostasis, and strategies for patient management based on the etiology of bleeding disorder.