RESUMO
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