Comparison of Causes of Infective and Non-Infective Epistaxis in the Kolhan Belt Population of Jharkhand

Abstract

Background: Epistaxis is the commonest otolarangyngological emergency affecting 60 % of population in their life time
.If un-treated may affect hemodynamic status.
Method: 92 Epistaxic patients of different age groups were treated conservatively after routine blood examination and
serum electrolyte, Urea, S. Creatinine, Urine routine examination, Blood group, Coagulation profile, CT scan was done in
selected patients to rule out neoplasm of the nose, PNS and nasopharynx. Moreover chest-x-ray, ECG was performed for
fitness procedure required for general anaesthesia.
Results: In clinical manifestations of infective and non-infective epistaxis 32 (34.7%) were idiopathic, 19 (20.6%) were due
to trauma, 14 (15.2%) rhinitis, 15 (16.3%) HTN/Atherosclerosis, 2 (2.17%) due to tumours, 2 (2.17%) Iatrogenic, 3 (3.26%)
foreign bed, 2 (2.17%) blood dyscrasis, 1 (1.08%) congenital heart disease, 2 (2.17%) during pregnancy, 30 (32.1%) were
non-infective, 62 (67.3%) were infective epistaxic. Out of 92 patients 36 (39.1%) had non-infective bleeding sites and 56
(60.8%) had infective bleeding sites. Out of 6 (6.52%), 5 (5.43%) complications were observed in non-infective epistaxis.
Conclusion: Though epistaxis is idiopathic it is classified as local or systemic but it is difficult to classify. Hence 80-90%
were idiopathic (non-infective) Majority of the epistaxis were managed with conservative (non-surgical) treatment such
as nasal packing and local cauterization. It is safe and cost effective surgery will be the lost resort to cure epistaxis.