Epistaxis: The Commonest Otolaryngological Emergency in Arar, Northern Saudi Arabia

Mana Abdullah Saud Al Yami4, Awwatf Sattam Alshammari1, Haifa Lafi Alenzi1,, Raed Khalid Raja Alanazi1, Turki Suliman Saleh Alkhuliwi2, Alhanouf Hussein Saad Alahmari3,; Narjis Bakkar7, Nawaf Fahad Alshuraym5, Munirah Abdullah Almakhayitah6

Epistaxis: The Commonest Otolaryngological Emergency in Arar, Northern Saudi Arabia

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Raed Khalid Raja Alanazi1, Turki Suliman Saleh Alkhuliwi2, Alhanouf Hussein Saad Alahmari3, Mana Abdullah Saud Al Yami4, Awwatf Sattam Alshammari1, Haifa Lafi Alenzi1, ¹
Nawaf Fahad Alshuraym5, Munirah Abdullah Almakhayitah6 Narjis Bakkar7 ²

¹ 1 Northern Border University, Arar, 2 Ministry of Health, 3 King Khalid University, Aseer “ Abha “, 4 Najran University, Najran,

² 5 Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, 6 King Faisal University, Alhassa, 7Almareefa College, Riyadh, KSA

Abstract

Background: Epistaxis is a common clinical condition that ranges from a minor nuisance to a life threatening emergency. It may be a chronic problem or symptom of generalized disorder . Objective: to determine the etiology, risk factors and the outcome of the conservative and surgical management of epistaxis in the studied population. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, community-based survey being directed to the Saudi adult population living in Arar city during the period of October and November 2017. The study instrument is a self-administered, pre-designed questionnaire. Results: The study included 175 epistaxis cases, 39.4 % females and 60.6 % males, 45.1 % were 20-29 years . Hypertension was found in 4.0%, 20% were smokers and 7.4% were ex-smokers. Epistaxis was idiopathic in 56.6 % of cases, local injury in 16%, nasal allergy in 8.6%, nasal infection in 7.4%, mucosal irritation in 2.9%, high blood pressure in 2.9%, foreign bodies in 2.2%, nasal tumors in 1.7% and blood dyscrasias in 1.1%. Most (85.1%) of the cases were treated at home and 14.9% in the emergency department of hospitals. Cauterization of bleeding point, employed for only 1.7% of the cases and surgical treatment in only 1.1%. Conclusion: epistaxis was more common in males than females, most cases are idiopathic, local injury and nasal allergy are also considered causes. The majority of epistaxis were not life threatening and can be treated conservatively. Most of the cases were treated at home mainly by pressure on the nose and considerable percentage treated in the emergency department of the hospitals mainly by nasal backing.

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