Profuse epistaxis: an argument for conservative medical management

A review of 10 years' experience of all patients with profuse epistaxis requiring hospitalisation in a tertiary care centre in India is presented. There were 106 patients among which only 72% of cases had associated medical illness. Hypertension (44%) and bleeding diathesis (11%) were found to be the most frequently associated aetiological medical conditions noted in this study. Although there is controversy regarding the optimum treatment in profuse epistaxis in literature, our experience suggests that it can be successfully managed with conservative medical management alone and surgical intervention with its potential complications may not be necessary in most cases.