Habitual epistaxis, associated with atrophic rhinitis

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of 27 patients aged 22 to 52 suffering from recurrent epistaxis. Patients who underwent surgical interventions in the nasal cavity, suffering from diabetes mellitus and other endocrine diseases, as well as persons working in hazardous industries were excluded from the number of those examined. No disturbances in the hemostasis system were revealed. The degree of the nasal mucosa damage was assessed by endoscopy and the rate of mucociliary clearance. The latter was determined using the saccharin test. Most often, the source of epistaxis was localized in the anterior sections of the nasal septum — in the Little area. Atrophic rhinitis was the local cause of epistaxis in 18 cases (64 %). Idiopathic epistaxis contributed for 36 % (9 cases). The most likely cause of the atrophic rhinitis in all cases was the climate adverse effect.