Assessment of knowledge, importance and management of uncontrolled bleeding in dental surgical procedures among dental professionals

Abstract

Background: Uncontrolled bleeding can cause risks of morbidity and complications in dental surgical procedures, therefore it is very important to have adequate knowledge about handling and management of such scenarios if and when they occur. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, importance and management of uncontrolled bleeding in dental surgical procedures among dental health professionals in Pune. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire study was conducted among dental health professionals in Pune city. A structured, self-administered, close-ended questionnaire was designed to collect the data which consisted of two parts and comprised of 23 questions related to knowledge, attitudes and practices in management of uncontrolled bleeding. The reliability statistics were calculated and Cronbach alpha value was 0.751. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics. Results: In this study, there were a total of 166 participants of age 21 and above. 92.8% of the participants were aware with some of the medical conditions associated with uncontrolled bleeding in dental surgical procedures while the others were unaware or not sure. 92.2% of the participants agreed that medical history plays and important role in dental surgical procedures while the others disagreed to it. Conclusion: The most of the participants are aware about the causes of uncontrolled bleeding although there is a need for guidance about the management of uncontrolled bleeding, especially in patients on anticoagulant therapy where the matter is still not well defined despite of guidelines.