[Dental procedures during anticoagulant administration].

Thirty-six patients on chronic anticoagulant therapy were submitted to dental surgery. The ages ranged between 20 and 68 (mean 43.5) years; twenty (55.6%) patients were female and 16 (44.4%) were female. Phenindione was administered to 33 (91.7%) patients, warfarin to one (2.7%) and hydroxycoumarin to two (5.6%). Mechanical heart valve prosthesis occurred in 23 (64%) patients, bioprosthesis in two (5.5%), mitral stenosis submitted to commissurotomy in two (5.5%) and other valvular heart disease occurred in nine patients (25%). Eighty-three elective procedures were performed. Anticoagulant drugs were stopped from two to seven days before, in order to prothrombin time reach 60%. Abnormal bleeding that was easily controlled with local measures occurred in two patients. Sixteen emergency procedures were performed without stopping anticoagulant treatment. Abnormal bleeding was observed in one patient and it subsided after local care. Thus, safe odontologic procedures may be carried on in patients during treatment with oral anticoagulants.