Epistaxis management: is medical intervention required for inactive epistaxis?

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to discuss the management and the follow-up approach in patients with epistaxis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 367 patients with epistaxis (209 males, 158 females; mean age 52.6±18.3 years; range 18 to 85 years) admitted to the Adult Emergency Department of a university hospital between January 2000 and December 2004 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Of patients, 56.7% had an idiopathic bleeding. A significantly higher number of patients aged >50 years had high blood pressure on admission. Of 141 patients (38.49%) presenting without bleeding on admission, 20 required medical intervention for recurrent epistaxis. Conservative approaches were effective in stopping bleeding in 97.8% patients. The hospitalization ratio was 5.7%. CONCLUSION: Our study result show that endonasal endoscopic mucosal cauterization is an effective method for resistant-to-treatment cases and inactive bleeding on admission is not a restraint for further examination.