Hard palate necrosis after bilateral internal maxillary artery embolization for epistaxis.
Superselective embolization is an effective method of treating epistaxis that is refractory to conservative treatment. Soft tissue necrosis is a rare complication owing to the extensive collateral blood supply of the head and neck. We describe the case of a patient who developed unilateral necrosis of the mucosa overlying the hard palate after undergoing bilateral internal maxillary artery embolization. The presence of a nasopharyngeal balloon and bilateral nasal packs for 2 days after embolization may have compressed collateral vessels in the soft palate and nose and contributed to this complication. Packing should be removed as soon as possible after embolization.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. joel.guss@uphs.upenn.edu
Joel
J
Guss
Marc A
MA
Cohen
Natasha
N
Mirza
D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008438:Maxillary Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000473:pathology*