Clinical Recommendations for Epistaxis Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Epistaxis is a common complaint in the general population, and its treatment is a common procedure in emergency departments. In the COVID-19 era, procedures involving airway management are a particular risk for health care workers due to the high virulence of the virus, the transmission through aerosol, and the risk of contagion from asymptomatic patients. In this article, we propose a simple memorandum of clinical recommendations to minimize the risk of operator infection deriving from epistaxis management. The correct use of personal protective equipment and strict compliance with the behavioral guidelines are essential to reduce the potential risk of infection. In particular, the use of filtering masks is strongly recommended since all patients, including those referring for epistaxis, should be treated as being COVID-19 positive in the emergency department. The safety of health care workers is essential not only to safeguard continuous patient care but also to limit virus transmission.