Glanzmann Thrombasthenia: Use of the Soft Splint with Tranexamic Acid Paste to Reduce Spontaneous Oral Bleeding

Glanzmann thrombasthenia is a rare bleeding disorder due to defects in the glycoprotein Ilb/IIIa complex present on the platelet membrane. The most common mode of treatment for this disorder is platelet transfusion. However, scientific evidence does state that repeated transfusions could lead to auto immunization making transfusions ineffective.

To describe the use of a novel technique of soft splint with tranexamic acid paste to stop oral bleeding in a patient with Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT).

A 7-year-old female patient with a known history of GT was referred to the pediatric department. The chief complaint of the patient revealed a history of spontaneous bleeding from the oral cavity. The patient required multiple teeth extractions due to severely carious teeth. History revealed that the patient was admitted to the hospital (casualty) three times within 1 month due to a similar complaint leading to hypovolemic shock. Several transfusion procedures were done to stop the spontaneous bleeding. To stop the intraoral bleeding without transfusions, a novel method of using a soft splint with tranexamic acid paste (500 mg tablet crushed and mixed with saline) in the area of spontaneous bleeding was employed with a successful follow-up of 7 months.

Soft splint with the tranexamic acid paste can serve as an effective method of treatment for patients with spontaneous oral bleeding due to medical conditions like GT.

This case report highlights the need for awareness among all the healthcare providers about the importance of regular dental visits. The healthcare providers also need to emphasize the same to all patients with medical conditions to avoid such life-threatening situations.

Bhavyaa R, Vignesh KC, Muthu MS, et al. Glanzmann Thrombasthenia: Use of the Soft Splint with Tranexamic Acid Paste to Reduce Spontaneous Oral Bleeding. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14(4):580-585.