Endoscopic cauterization of the sphenopalatine artery in persistent epistaxis

The management of epistaxis remains to be a challenging problem for most ENT surgeon especially posterior epistaxis. Most cases are managed by placement of posterior nasal packs or balloons and failure leads to more invasive techniques, involving ligation of the internal maxillary artery. The above management is associated with significant patient complication and morbidity. Endoscopic ligation or cauterization of the sphenopalatine artery has emerged as a viable and minimally invasive alternative. We have performed endoscopic cauterization of nine sphenopalatine arteries in eight patients with no further episodes of epistaxis and complications, with an average follow-up of 25 months. The mean age of the patients was 52.75 years. Fifty percent of the patients had a history of hypertension.