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Category: Volume 07 Issue 06 June 2019
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Title: A retrospective clinical study of patients presenting with epistaxis in a tertiary care hospital in Central India

Author: Dr K Dilip Kumar

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i6.34

Abstract

      

Background: Epistaxis (nosebleeds) is one of the most common ear, nose, and throat (ENT) emergencies that present to the emergency room or primary care. The true prevalence of epistaxis is not known, because most episodes are self-limited and thus most of the time is not reported. When medical attention is needed, it is usually because of either the recurrent or severe bleeding. Treatment depends on the clinical picture, the experience of the treating physician, and the availability of ancillary services.

Materials & Methods:  This retrospective observational study (based on hospital records) consists of 73 cases of epistaxis, due to various aetiological factors studied between January 2018 to December 2018 patients who attended emergency and ENT departments apart of AIMS, Dewas, M.P.  A total of 73 cases were studied during this period and they constituted the subjects in this study. Complete Ear, Nose and Throat examination were carried out on these patients to be followed by examination of the neck.

Results: Nasal block was most common associated symptoms in our group, 72.6% of patient presented with nasal block associated with epistaxis. Next most common associated symptoms nasal discharge 53.42%, followed by headache 42.47%, pain over nose 34.25%, mass on nose 26.03%, and anosmia 23.29%. Local trauma is the most common cause 35.62%, followed by nasal or sinus infections 12.33%, hypertension 9.59% and septal abnormality 8.22%.

Conclusion: Most of the patients had acute onset of bleeding. Anterior epistaxis is more common than posterior bleeds. The common causes epistaxis is trauma, hypertension, inflammatory conditions, septal abnormalities, bleeding disorders and idiopathic. Most cases can be successfully managed with conservative treatment alone, while some require packing and local cauterization.

Keywords: Epistaxis, Nosebleeds, Risk factors, Prevalence, Treatment.

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Corresponding Author

Dr K Dilip Kumar

Assistant Professor, Department of ENT, Amaltas Institute of Medical Sciences,  Village Bangar, Dewas - Ujjain Highway, Dewas, Madhya Pradesh 455001, India