title: Are systemic prophylactic antibiotics indicated with anterior nasal packing for spontaneous epistaxis?
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study did not show an advantage of the routine use of prophylactic antibiotics for spontaneous epistaxis treated by nasal packing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of the use of prophylactic antibiotics in spontaneous epistaxis cases treated with anterior nasal packing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a period of 6 months, all cases of epistaxis managed with anterior nasal packing were studied prospectively. After pack removal, swabs from the packed and the non-packed sides of the nasal cavity were cultured to detect any difference in the bacterial growth pattern between the two sides. All these cases were clinically evaluated to detect any infection secondary to the anterior nasal packing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not observe infection in any of the cases before or after removal of the anterior nasal pack. The bacterial growth profile of packed and non-packed sides of the nose did not differ significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Southmead Hospital, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. drdbiswas@hotmail.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Mal
mesh_terms: D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013630:Tampons, Surgical
chemical_list: D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination