A Study on the Use of Autologous Venous Blood for the Management of Alveolar Osteitis

Abstract

Objectives: Alveolar Osteitis (AO), commonly known as dry socket, is a painful postoperative complication of tooth extraction. Conventional management is largely palliative. This research was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of autologous venous blood (AVB) placed in the socket as a biologically based method for pain control and enhanced healing in AO.

Materials and Methods: A prospective, comparative, non-randomised interventional research was conducted on 100 patients diagnosed with AO. Subjects were alternately allocated into two groups: the test group (n = 50), treated with autologous venous blood, and the control group (n = 50), managed with zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) dressing. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) on days 0, 1, 3, and 7, while clinical healing was evaluated at follow-up visits. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 22), and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant (two-tailed test).

Results: The baseline demographic and clinical parameters showed no significant differences between the study groups. By day 3, the AVB group demonstrated significantly greater pain reduction than the ZOE group (mean VAS 2.1 vs 4.6, p < 0.05). By day 7, clinical healing scores were significantly superior in the AVB group (p < 0.05). No adverse effects were recorded, and patient satisfaction was higher in the AVB group.

Conclusions: Autologous venous blood is a simple, cost-effective, and biologically sound method for managing alveolar osteitis. It provides superior pain relief and enhanced healing compared with conventional ZOE dressing, without observed complications.

J Dhaka National Med. Coll. Hos. 2026; 32 (01): 24-28