A Study of the Management of Patients Taking Novel Oral Antiplatelet or Direct Oral Anticoagulant Medication Undergoing Dental Surgery in a Rural Setting

Impact of direct oral anticoagulants on bleeding tendency and postoperative complications in oral surgery: a systematic review of controlled studies

OBJECTIVE

The recommendations for the management of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in oral surgery are inconsistent. The present review evaluated whether DOACs increase the risk of bleeding during oral surgery and postoperative complications.

STUDY DESIGN

The patients undergoing oral surgery and receiving a DOAC were compared with the patients receiving a DOAC different from the exposure, a vitamin K antagonist (VKA), or no anticoagulant. Three electronic databases were searched for eligible clinical trials and systematic reviews. The risk of bias was assessed, data were extracted, a meta-analysis was done, and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations certainty-of-evidence ratings were determined.

RESULTS

Three clinical trials comparing patients receiving DOAC medication with patients on a VKA were eligible. A meta-analysis of bleeding 7 days postoperatively detected no significant differences between patients continuing DOAC or VKA medication during and after surgery. All of the point estimates favored uninterrupted DOAC over VKA therapy. Tranexamic acid was topically administered to some patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on an interpreted trend among 3 studies with mixed patient populations, the risk of bleeding during the first 7 postoperative days may be lower for patients on uninterrupted DOAC than VKA therapy (⨁⨁⭘⭘), but the effect size of the risk is unclear. 80 of 274 included patients experienced postoperative bleeding.

Management of dental patients receiving antiplatelet therapy or chronic oral anticoagulation: A review of the latest evidence

The perioperative management of patients treated with antithrombotic medications who undergo surgical procedures represents a common clinical problem. Dental interventions are usually associated with a low risk of bleeding; however, the dental implications of new antithrombotic agents are not yet fully understood. The present review is based on the latest evidence and recommendations published on the periprocedural management of dental patients treated with single or dual antiplatelet therapy, vitamin K antagonists, or direct oral anticoagulants for a variety of indications.

Management of Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants Surrounding Dental Procedures With Low-to-Moderate Risk of Bleeding

The purpose of this article is to review the available evidence regarding how to safely manage direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC) therapy in patients requiring dental procedures with low-to-moderate risk of bleeding. A literature search was performed using MEDLINE and PubMed. Each author performed an independent search to ensure all pertinent articles were identified. The reference sections of each article were also reviewed. Pertinent articles were evaluated by each author for inclusion. Articles were eligible for inclusion if the participants were taking DOAC therapy surrounding a dental procedure known to have low-to-moderate risk of bleeding. Studies could be prospective or retrospective and included case reports, case series, and clinical trials. Articles were excluded if they assessed dental procedures known to carry a high risk of bleeding or were review articles. Twenty-five articles were identified, 5 of which met inclusion criteria including 2 case series, 1 retrospective study, and 2 prospective trials. Variation in the management of DOAC therapy surrounding these procedures was found. Among patients undergoing low-to-moderate risk dental procedures while receiving DOAC therapy, bleeding rates were low regardless of whether the DOAC was held or continued surrounding the procedure. Documented bleeding was mild and easily controlled by local hemostatic measures. Patients can safely continue DOAC therapy surrounding these dental procedures.