Abstract
Background: Epistaxis is considered as the most common otolaryngologic emergency, it's difficult to determine an accurate number for the incidence of epistaxis but it has been reported to be as high as 60%. Generally, most of the time epistaxis does not require a specialist to manage, according to the published data only about 6% of the cases require medical treatment. The management of epistaxis have been evolved over the last 20 years, a lot of literatures were done evaluating different management approaches. Reviewing the recent published articles is important in order to provide a better outcome for the patients.
Objective: In our study we aims to discuss the recent updates related to epistaxis management and develop a comprehensive yet simplified management approach algorithm.
Method: PubMed database were used for articles selection. All relevant articles related to our review were chosen to cover the following topics: Epistaxis, Evaluation of Epistaxis, and Management. We excluded other articles, which are not related to our objectives. The data have been extracted according to specific form to be reviewed by the authors.
Conclusion: Epistaxis can be dramatic and can be a life-threatening problem although in most cases it is relatively minor and usually manageable at home. Health authorities should work to the general knowledge of the population on the first aid management of epistaxis. The treatment should be with a crescendo sequence. Applying direct pressure by pinching the lower part of the nose for at least 10 minutes is the first way of treatment. Chemical cauterization and nasal packing are the most commonly used methods of treatment worldwide due to their wide availability and they are easy to perform. In severe uncontrollable cases of Epistaxis, surgical intervention such as ligation or embolization should be suggested. Surgery is associated with higher success rate, lower recurrence rate and shorter length of stay.