Transcatheter arterial embolization in the management of intractable epistaxis

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization in the treatment of intractable epistaxis.Methods Twenty-one patients of intractable epistaxis who had been treated with nasal cavity packing and/or endoscopy coagulation but failed underwent angiography and transcatheter arterial embolization.All patients were followed up for 30 days.Results The offending arteries of 20 patients were successfully embolized,with the successful rate of 95.24%(20/21).One patient died of the pseudoaneurysm rupture.The cessation of epistaxis was obtained in 16 patients.After drug therapy,slight epistaxis in 4 patients gradually disappeared.No recurrent epistaxis was found during follow-up.After embolization,no obvious complication occurred in 16 patients,while 3 patients had headache,fever,maxillofacial region anaesth,1 patient had visual field defect in right eye.Conclusion Transcatheter arterial embolization is a safe,effective method in the management of intractable epistaxis.