Pain and swelling after periapical surgery related to the hemostatic agent used: Anesthetic solution with vasoconstrictor or aluminum chloride

OBJECTIVE To assess pain and swelling in the first 7 days after periapical surgery and their relationship with the agent used for bleeding control. STUDY DESIGN A prospective study was conducted between October 2006 and March 2009. Patients subjected to root surgery, who completed the questionnaire and who consented to the postoperative instructions were included in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the hemostatic agent used: A) gauze impregnated with anesthetic solution with vasoconstrictor; or B) aluminum chloride. The patients were administered a questionnaire, and were asked to record the severity of their pain and swelling on a plain horizontal visual analog scale (VAS). Data were recorded by the patients on the first 7 postoperative days. In addition, the patients were asked to record analgesic consumption. RESULTS A total of 76 questionnaires (34 in group A and 42 in group B) were taken to be correctly completed. Pain was reported to be most intense two hours after surgery. At this point 52.6% of the patients had no pain. Seventy-five percent of the patients consumed analgesics in the first 24 hours. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the intensity of pain or in the consumption of analgesics. Swelling reached its maximum peak on the second day; at this point, 60.6% of the patients suffered mild or moderate swelling. The Expasyl group showed significantly greater swelling than the gauzes group. CONCLUSION The type of hemostatic agent used did not influence either the degree of pain or the need for analgesia among the patients in this study. However, the patients belonging to the Expasyl group suffered greater swelling than the patients treated with gauzes impregnated with anesthetic solution with vasoconstrictor.