Clinical features and treatment outcomes of epistaxis in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria

This research study aimed to assess the clinical features and treatment outcome of epistaxis at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu. The objective was to determine the incidence and co-morbid factors of epistaxis in Enugu, analyse the treatment modalities offered, and assess the outcomes of various treatment modalities. This is a hospital-based one-year prospective study. All patients with epistaxis who presented at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, who met the inclusion criteria were recruited into the study for twelve months This is a year-long prospective clinical study in a tertiary hospital. The data collected were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software version 15. A total of 53 epistaxis patients who met the eligibility criteria were studied out of the total of 19003 patients seen at the Otorhinolaryngology Clinic, Accident and Emergency Department and all the wards (in-patients) of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, within the study year. The incidence of epistaxis amongst UNTH patients was 3\1000. Males were more affected than females (1.2:1). The mean age was 39 (range 1-82 years). Common causes of epistaxis were hypertension (20.8%), idiopathic (18.8%), neoplasm (17%), and trauma (15%). Anterior nasal packing alone (60.9%) was the main treatment, followed by both anterior and posterior nasal packing (15.2%) and chemical cautery (13%). Intranasal tumour resection was carried out in 4 patients. Epistaxis is a manifestation of many different disease entities, the common ones in this study being hypertension, idiopathic, neoplasm, and trauma. Nasal packing and\or cautery will control most epistaxis. Any patient with epistaxis should be thoroughly evaluated to identify the etiological factor or co-morbid condition even when the nosebleed had stopped so as to manage definitively.