Lack of evidence for increased risk of postoperative bleeding after cutaneous surgery in the head and neck in patients taking aspirin.
Cutaneous surgery in the head and neck carries an intermediate risk of bleeding, so many surgeons stop anticoagulant treatment perioperatively despite the risk of cardiovascular events. We reviewed many procedures done in patients who were taking aspirin, and we did not find evidence of significantly increased postoperative bleeding compared with procedures in patients who were not taking aspirin (10/259=4% compared with 6/209=3%, p=0.6). Our results suggest that cutaneous surgery in the head and neck is safe for patients taking aspirin.
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: w.eichhorn@uke.de.
Wolfgang
W
Eichhorn
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: kluwe@uke.de.
Lan
L
Kluwe
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: m.heiland@uke.de.
Max
M
Heiland
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: groebe@uke.de.
Alexander
A
Gröbe
D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D001241:Aspirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015580:Mohs Surgery / Q000379:methods; D009333:Neck / Q000601:surgery; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000637:transplantation
D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D001241:Aspirin
Anticoagulation; Aspirin; Bleeding risk; Cutaneous surgery; Head and neck