Endoscopic sphenopalatine artery electrocoagulation for refractory epistaxis: a clinical study.

BACKGROUND: The electrical coagulation of sphenopalatine artery(SPA) under nasal endoscopy has gradually become an important surgical intervention for epistaxis. AIM: To investigate the effectiveness and complications of SPA electrocoagulation for epistaxis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The clinical data of 47 patients undergoing SPA electrocoagulation were analyzed, retrospectively. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were enrolled, with a male to female ratio of approximately 3:1. 11of 36 were under 45 years old, 25 of 36were 45 years old and above. Among female patients, one was under 45 years old, and the others were 45 years old and above, but there was no significant difference in gender composition between different age groups (χ 2 = 1.069, p = .301). All patients were unilateral epistaxis. The effective control rates of epistaxis within 24 h after surgery, early postoperative, and late postoperative were 100%, 100%, and 97.9%, respectively. There were 6 patients with complications, including 3 patients with nasal dryness and ecdysis on the affected side, 2 patients with numbness on upper lip, 1 patient with nasal adhesion and pus on affected side. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: Refractory epistaxis has no relationship with age and sex, SPA electrcoagulation can effectively control refractory epistaxis and is an effective surgical method.