Management of the oral and maxillofacial surgery patient with thrombocytopenia

J M Henderson1, S Bergman, A Salama

  • 1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Maryland at Baltimore, 21201, USA. jhenders@umaryland.edu

Patients with disorders of coagulation and bleeding can be among the most challenging surgical patients to manage. Intraoperative or postoperative bleeding can contribute to life-threatening complications in even the most "benign" surgical procedures. An adequate number and function of platelets play a critical role in the coagulation pathway. A thorough understanding of platelet physiology and platelet disorders is therefore essential in the management of the thrombocytopathic oral and maxillofacial surgery patient. A careful preoperative evaluation will help the surgeon treat these patients and help prevent potentially catastrophic intraoperative or postoperative bleeding.

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