title: Upper airway obstruction by sublingual hematoma: a complication of anticoagulation therapy with acenocoumarol.
abstract: Upper airway obstruction secondary to the use of oral anticoagulants has been reported. In most of the cases, it is produced by retropharyngeal and laryngeal hematomas. The sublingual space is an extremely rare site for bleeding, but this constitutes a life-threatening complication, it must be considered as an emergency situation, and the main priority is to secure patient's airway. We recommend immediate reversal of the anticoagulation therapy, preferably with fresh frozen plasma. The surgical drainage usually is not recommended. We present what is to our knowledge the 10th case reported of an airway obstruction due to sublingual hematoma after the administration of oral anticoagulants, and the third one due to the use of acenocoumarol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital La Princesa (Autónoma University), Madrid, Spain. raugg@mixmail.com
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: González-García
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schoendorff
authors.forename: Mario F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Guerra
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Campo
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Naval-Gías
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sastre-Pérez
mesh_terms: D000074:Acenocoumarol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000601:surgery; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy; D006406:Hematoma / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D014139:Tracheostomy; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000074:Acenocoumarol