Tranexamic acid as a mouthwash in anticoagulant-treated patients undergoing oral surgery. An alternative method to discontinuing anticoagulant therapy

Abstract

A double-blind randomized study was carried out to evaluate the clinical hemostatic effect of tranexamic acid mouthwash after dental extraction in 30 patients who received anticoagulant agents. Surgery was performed with a reduction in the level of anticoagulant therapy in the control group and with no change in the level of anticoagulant therapy in the group who received the tranexamic acid. After the extraction the surgical field was irrigated with a 5% solution of tranexamic acid in the group of 15 patients whose anticoagulant treatment had not been discontinued and with a placebo solution in the group of 15 patients for whom the anticoagulant therapy was reduced. Patients were instructed to rinse their mouths with 10 ml of the assigned solution for 2 minutes four times a day for 7 days. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in the bleeding incidence after oral surgery. We conclude that the anticoagulant treatment does not need to be withdrawn before oral surgery provided that local antifibrinolytic therapy is instituted.