Blood loss estimation in epistaxis scenarios

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Medical Education
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• Epistaxis is a common clinical presentation.
• Accurate estimation of blood loss is crucial for appropriate patient management.
• Visual estimation is frequently used but its accuracy is questionable.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the accuracy of visual estimation of blood loss in epistaxis scenarios.
• To compare estimation accuracy between medical and non-medical staff.
• To evaluate differences in estimation based on professional role and grade.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-two staff members from an Ear, Nose, and Throat department participated.
• Participants visually estimated blood loss in standardized epistaxis scenarios.
• Estimations were compared against measured blood volumes.

Main Results:

• Visual estimation of blood loss became grossly inaccurate when volumes exceeded 100 ml.
• Under-estimation was significantly more pronounced in non-medical staff compared to medical staff.
• No significant differences in estimation accuracy were observed between doctors and nurses, or across different staff grades.

Conclusions:

• Relying on visual estimation for significant epistaxis (over 100 ml) can lead to inaccurate assessments.
• Targeted education may be beneficial, particularly for non-medical staff, to improve blood loss estimation in epistaxis.
• Current professional roles and hierarchical grades do not appear to influence estimation accuracy.