When patients on warfarin need surgery.

Cleve Clin J Med · 2003

Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

When a patient who has been taking warfarin long-term needs to undergo surgery, how to manage his or her anticoagulation is controversial. We believe most patients should stop taking warfarin 5 days before elective surgery, and most do not need to receive heparin in the perioperative period as a bridge to surgery.