Effectiveness of Leg Raise and Leg Fold Maneuver to Prevent Syncope During Extraction of Teeth: A Pilot Study

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 15; no. 2; p. e34488
• Main Authors: M, Sr, James Antony Bhagat, S, Jr, Sakthi, B, Sr, Nathiya, D, Sr, Durairaj, A R, Jr, Thennarasu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 01.02.2023; Cureus
• Subjects: Anxiety; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Chi-square test; Consciousness; Dentistry; Dentists; Emergency medical care; Fainting; Hypotension; Local anesthesia; Oral Medicine; Oxygen saturation; Patients; Preventive Medicine; exodontia; leg raise and leg fold maneuver; extraction of teeth; vasovagal syncope; anxiety during exodontia; prevention of syncope; syncope; syncope during extraction
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.34488

Objectives The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of leg raise and leg fold maneuvers to prevent syncope during extraction procedures. Methods This study included 30 patients with a previous history of syncope and dental anxiety. Patients were randomly divided into two groups consisting of 15 patients each. Group I (test group) patients were educated about a few physical maneuvers, and instructions were given preoperatively about when to perform them. Group II (control group) underwent extraction conventionally. The blood pressure, saturation, pulse rate, and clinical signs and symptoms of the patients were assessed preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively. Informed consent was obtained from all the patients. Results There is a significant difference between the control and study groups in terms of the occurrence of syncope and patient comfort. This indicates that the leg raise and leg fold maneuvers reduce the occurrence of syncope during extraction. No participant in the test group experienced syncope post-treatment, while five subjects (33.3%) experienced syncope in the control group. Conclusion Physical counterpressure maneuvers are a risk-free, effective, and low-cost treatment method in patients with vasovagal syncope. Leg raise and leg fold maneuvers improved the hemodynamics of the patients.