title: Superselective embolisation for intractable idiopathic epistaxis.
abstract: 37 patients with intractable idiopathic epistaxis were treated with superselective embolisation between 1995 and 1999. A total of 40 embolisations was performed, including three procedures for recurrence. The embolic material was gelatin sponge in 27 procedures, microcoils in 9 and both gelatin sponge and microcoils in 4. Immediate cessation of nasal bleeding was obtained in all patients after embolisation. Recurrent epistaxis occurred in 2 (5.4%) of the 37 patients within 7 days after initial embolisation, giving a short-term success rate of 94.6%. The long-term follow-up ranged from 1-51 months (mean 21.6 months). Late re-bleeding occurred in two patients, giving a long-term success rate of 94.6%. Two patients underwent re-embolisation; it was necessary to embolise the ipsilateral facial artery and/or the contralateral internal maxillary as well as the ipsilateral maxillary artery. Although the overall complication rate was 45.0%, no major complications occurred. Superselective embolisation with gelatin sponge is an effective and safe treatment technique for intractable idiopathic epistaxis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kumamoto National Hospital, 1-5 Ninomaru Kumamoto, 860-0008, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oguni
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Korogi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yasunaga
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sadanaga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uozumi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawanaka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005781:Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors