Topical Hemostatic Agents: What the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Needs to Know.

Hemostasis is a key step in safe and predictable surgery. Knowledge of normal blood clotting mechanisms and abnormal diathesis is necessary to anticipate potential problems during and after surgery. As an adjunct to bleeding control, topical hemostatic agents have long been used in all surgical disciplines. This article provides a brief review of hemostasis and a topical summary of different classes of topical hemostatic agents useful to oral and maxillofacial surgery, including indications and potential complications/side effects. This rapidly evolving field promises to yield future agents with increased efficacy, cost efficiency, and decreased complications.