<scp>RADA</scp> ‐16 Reduces Postoperative Epistaxis After Inferior Turbinate Submucosal Resection

ABSTRACT Objectives RADA‐16 is a self‐assembling peptide matrix with the ability to form a hydrogel structure, showing promise for improved wound healing and hemostasis. Our objective was to understand the utility of RADA‐16 on postoperative bleeding rates following inferior turbinate submucosal resection (ITR) surgery. Study Design Retrospective study. Methods Electronic health records of patients who underwent ITR surgery with a single surgeon from January 2020 to March 2024 were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine differences in postoperative epistaxis rates between RADA‐16 and non‐RADA‐16 cohorts. Further analysis was performed to compare healthcare‐associated costs. Results Our analysis included 985 patients who underwent ITR, of whom 571 received RADA‐16 and 414 did not. Overall, 1.11% of patients experienced postoperative bleeding, 0.35% in the RADA‐16 cohort and 2.17% in the non‐RADA‐16 cohort. Patients receiving RADA‐16 had a significantly lower risk of postoperative hemorrhage (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.036–0.808, p = 0.026). Comparison of the two cohorts showed no significant difference in the prevalence of additional nasal surgery or bleeding disorders. The non‐RADA‐16 group was more likely to be on anticoagulation treatment ( p &lt; 0.001); however, no relationship between anticoagulant usage and bleeding episodes was observed. After cost‐effectiveness analysis, we found the bleeding cost per patient was $379.74 for the RADA‐16 group and $436.21 for the non‐RADA‐16 group ( p = 0.36). Conclusions RADA‐16 is believed to improve wound healing and hemostasis. In our study, we found that patients receiving RADA‐16 are less likely to experience epistaxis following ITR surgery. Level of Evidence 3.