Postoperative complications after dental extraction in liver pretransplant patients

The liver pretransplant phase requires the interaction of -multidisciplinary teams for optimal patient outcomes, including dental -professionals. In this study, we sought to estimate the prevalence of complications related to dental extraction in liver transplant candidates.

This study is a case series of patients eligible for liver transplants referred for dental treatment between 2012 and 2014. Eligible patients for this study underwent at least one tooth extraction, had a complete blood count at the time of the procedure, and were candidates for liver transplantation.

Forty-three patients, 12 women (28%) and 31 men (72%), with an -average age of 50.9 ± 11.4 years, had received a total of 116 dental extractions. The prevalence of postoperative complications was 1.7% including two bleeding episodes in the same patient. Seven patients presented a platelet count below 50 × 10³/μL and received platelet transfusions preoperatively.

Postoperative complications following dental extractions in liver transplant candidates are unusual.

Low postoperative complications prevalence indicates that dental surgical procedures may be safety performed in patients eligible for liver transplantation after careful -preoperative evaluation.