Complications in skin grafts when continuing antithrombotic therapy prior to cutaneous surgery requiring skin grafting: an observational study

Abstract

Abstract Use of anticoagulants is common and practice regarding continuation or discontinuation of the medication peri-operatively for cutaneous surgery lacks evidence-based consensus. Therefore, we aimed to do a prospective observational study with patients who were referred to cutaneous surgery and needed full thickness or split skin grafting and using antitrombotic or non-antitrombotic therapies. Data on patients characteristics, diagnosis, location of surgery and surgery performed, antithrombotic medication and complications in skin grafts were collected. Skin grafts were traced on a transparent film and areas of unhealed skin graft were marked. All patients were routinely followed-up on days 5–7 postoperative. Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test or Mann-Whitney U-test were used to compare patients taking antitrombotic medication with patients receiving no antitrombotic therapy. In addition, associations were calculated for treatment with the different antithrombotic therapies. No severe bleeding requiring blood transfusion or re-operation was observed in this study. The results showed no statistically significant difference between patients who continued treatment with antithrombotic therapy compared with patients having no antithrombotic treatment regarding sub graft hematomas or graft take. Continuing antithrombotic monotheraphy with acetylsalicylic, clopidogrel, warfarin or fish oil in relations to cutaneous surgery do not seem to increase risk of haematoma or graft lost.