Epistaxis in Port Harcourt

Epistaxis often causes significant anxiety in both patients and clinicians. Various methods of treatment have been advocated. The aim of this paper is to document the pattern of epistaxis in Port Harcourt, determine the etiologies and advocate the best treatment option.

This is a 6-year retrospective study of patients that were managed for epistaxis in the department of Otorhinolaryngology of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, from January 2000 to December, 2005. The material resources were the records of the Otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic and Accident & Emergency department of the hospital. These were updated with records from the ward admissions and theatre. The diagnosis of epistaxis was based on clinical history, physical findings, laboratory and radiological investigations with examination under anaestheasia of the nose, nasopharynx and biopsy.

There were 30 patients, 16 males and 14 females with a mean age of 30.48 years +/- 15.14 [range 1-70 years]. The most commonly affected age group was 31-40 years. Idiopathic causes accounted for 66.67%, trauma 13.33%, nasopharyngeal carcinoma 10%, chronic maxillary sinusitis 6.67%, and vicarious menstruation 3.33%. The right nasal cavity was more affected than the left. The most commonly used method of treatment was anterior nasal packing (50%). Posterior nasal packing accounted for 26.67% while chemical cauterization was done in 13.3% of cases.

The pattern of epistaxis in our study agrees with the pattern found elsewhere. Anterior and posterior nasal packing were cost effective methods of treatment.