Oral Surgery Expert Opines on Excessive Bleeding Following Root Canal

Case Overview

This case involves a woman in Texas who had a root canal performed in order to treat an infected tooth. Several days after the procedure, the woman presented to the emergency room with complaints of puss and swelling indicative of a probable infection. The infected tissue was drained, and the decision was made to keep the woman in the hospital due to the apparent severity of the infection. After several days in the hospital, the woman began to bleed profusely from her mouth. Doctors were initially unable to locate the source of the bleeding, however after the patient was taken to interventional radiology it was discovered that there was a perforation of one of her facial arteries. The bleeding was eventually stopped, however the woman was forced to endure a lengthy hospital stay.