Abstract
This is a retrospective study on emergency patients with active oral bleeding. The study was based on a series of 135 patients treated as emergency patients at Wonju Christian Hospital, from Jan. 1, 1997, to Dec. 31, 2001. The postoperative bleeding was the most frequent cause of active oral bleeding in emergency room and bleeding from trauma and medically compromised (bleeding disorders) patients were next in order of frequency. In the injury of maxillofacial vessels, peak incidence was occurred in the inferior alveolar vessel (42.9%), followed by the submucosal vessel of lip & cheek, the superior alveolar vessel, and sublingual vessels. The most common disease of bleeding disorders was vascular wall alteration (infection, etc), followed by liver disease, thrombocytopenic purpura, anti-coagulation drugs in order. In the characteristics of dental diseases on bleeding disorders, periodontal disease and alveolar osteitis (osteomyelitis) were more common. The hemostasis was most obtained by use of wound suture, simple pressure dressing, drainage for infection control and primary interdental wiring of fracture. In the complication group, the infrequent incidence was showed in vomiting, hypovolemic shock, syncope, recurred bleeding & aspiration pneumonia. In the uncontrolled oral bleeding, the injured vessels were suspected as skull base & ethmoidal vessels. In this study, authors found that the close cooperation between the dentistry (Oral and maxillofacial surgery) and the medicine (emergency & internal medicine) was the most important for early proper control of active oral bleeding. And then post-operative wound closure, drainage for infection control and previous systemic evaluation of bleeding disorders were critical for the prevention of postoperative bleeding in the local dental clinic.
