Epistaxis due to hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: A case report and literature review

Characterized by abnormalities of the blood vessel wall, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia is an autosomal dominant disorder. Recurrent or spontaneous epistaxis is the most prevalent symptom of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, whose severity varies greatly, ranging from moderate self-limiting epistaxis to severe, life-threatening epistaxis, which often requires multiple treatments and is therefore a challenge for otorhinolaryngologists. This case report retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and family history of a patient who presented to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, with recurrent epistaxis for 60 years. The patient was treated with Little's area septomucotomy combined with electrocoagulation for epistaxis, and her clinical symptoms and specialty findings showed significant improvement after four postoperative follow-up visits. This article reviews the possible mechanisms and treatment progress of epistaxis caused by hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, with the aim of improving diagnosis and clinical management of this disease.