Management of Hospitalized cases with Recurrent Epistaxis at sohag UniversityHospital

Abstract

Introduction: Epistaxis is a common problem that ranges from a minor nuisance to a lifethreatening emergency. Multiple modalities exist to treat anterior and posterior bleeding and more than one treatment must be used. Otolaryngologists must be prepared to deal with severe or refractory bleeding by using medications, packing materials, and radiologic or surgical interventions. Methods: This study is a descriptive prospective study that started with 137 patients presented with recurrent epistaxis selected to analyze etiology and different methods of interventions in management, during the period from January 2016 to June 2017 at Sohag University Hospital. Results: The mean age of patients in our study was 42.1 years, with a little male predominance (53%) and 62% of cases had unilateral bleeding. Regarding the cause of epistaxis, 35,77% of cases had general causes; 27,01% had local causes; 5,11% had medication-related bleeding and 32,12% were idiopathic. Regarding management, 48.88% of cases showed a response to the anterior nasal pack, 30.66%to conservative treatment, and 6.75% to sphenopalatine artery ligation. Conclusion: Recurrent epistaxis in hospitalized patients is a common emergency condition in Otorhinolaryngology; affecting people of any age. Conservative methods; especially nasal packing is effective to arrest epistaxis in most patients; especially if the source is anterior bleeding. Surgical intervention is needed in resistant cases.