title: Anticoagulants and blood thinners during cutaneous surgery: always, sometimes or never?
abstract: There is no consensus with regard to perioperative blood thinner management in patients undergoing cutaneous procedures. The rationale and problems associated with blood thinners during cutaneous surgery are examined and the preoperative screening and surgical management of patients taking anticoagulant medicines discussed. There are many studies that support continuation of blood thinners during cutaneous procedures supporting the conclusion that blood thinners should not be discontinued for cutaneous procedures.
authors.affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham and Woman's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Schanbacher
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants