An Aetiopathological Study on Epistaxis in Adults and its Management

Abstract

IntroductionEpistaxis is a common clinical problem in ENT practice. Idiopathic aetiology is said to be the most common.Aim of studyTo find out whether idiopathic epistaxis is the most common cause of primary adulthood epistaxis and to formulate the best treatment protocolMaterials & MethodsA prospective study was conducted in a tertiary healthcare setup from August 2013 to August 2014. 100 patients of more than 16 years of age of both sexes were studied. Patients presenting with active nasal bleeding in ENT ER and OPD were included.ResultsTruly idiopathic epistaxis was encountered in 37% of the study population followed by 20% cases in association with grossly deviated septum with septal spur(s). Most of the cases were managed by resuscitation alone with or without anterior nasal packing. Conclusion: With advances in endoscopy & imaging techniques, cause of the epistaxis can most often be elicited and by sticking to a management protocol recurrence can be reduced.