A clinical study of 367 cases of epistaxis

We report on a clinical study of 367 patients with epistaxis who visited the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Tohoku University Hospital between 2008 and 2011. We noted epistaxis more frequently in males than in females (male:female ratio, about 1. 6:1). The mean age was 60 years, and the number of patients in their 60s and 70s tended to be higher. Epistaxis occurred more frequently in winter, and the number of patients was lower in summer. The site of bleeding was most often Kiesselbach's area (50%). Another 25% showed bleeding from an unidentifiable site and no other frequent site of bleeding was observed besides Kiesselbach's area. More than 80% of cases were treated with electrical coagulation or gauze packing containing antibiotic ointment. Re-bleeding was observed in 19% of cases. Comparing re-bleeding and non-re-bleeding cases, the percentages of patients with bleeding from Kiesselbach's area and treated with electrical coagulation were significantly lower in re-bleeding than in non-re-bleeding cases, and percentages with bleeding from unidentifiable sites and treated with gauze packing were significantly higher. No relationships were seen between re-bleeding, systemic complications and anticoagulant therapy.