title: Is local ointment or cauterization more effective in childhood recurrent epistaxis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of nasal antiseptic ointment and silver nitrate cautery in the treatment of children with recurrent epistaxis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective and randomized study, a hundred children with recurrent epistaxis were assigned into two groups. In group 1, patients underwent silver nitrate cauterization, in group 2 patients were treated with nasal antiseptic ointment (oxytetracycline hydrochloride-polymyxin B sulfate); and both groups were followed for 3 months. All of the patients were investigated for allergy with skin prick test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ages of patients were similar in both groups (group 1: 9.2±2.7; group 2: 8.2±2.2; p=0.069). Thirty-eight percent of the patients in group 1 and 52% of the patients in group 2 had epistaxis in the three months follow-up. The difference between groups was not significant (p=0.159). Thirteen (26%) of the patients in group 1 and 12 (24%) of the patients in group 2 were found to have allergic symptoms and positive prick test. The rate of allergy was similar in both groups (p=0.817).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nasal antiseptic ointment and silver nitrate cauterization were found to have similar outcomes in the treatment of recurrent epistaxis.
authors.affiliation: Inegöl Government Hospital, Otorhinolaryngology Clinics, Bursa, Turkey. suayozmen@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Süay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.forename: Omer Afşin
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Ozmen
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000293:Adolescent; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002425:Cautery / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D009824:Ointments; D012835:Silver Nitrate