Epistaxis - treatment

If all the general measures fail, then the patient should be taken to the operation theatre.The following procedures can be carried out as per the situation demands.

The nasal cavity of the patient should be examined using a sharp head light and a good suction. If the bleeding point is localised, it should be cauterized with a chemical agent like trichlor acetic acid or silver nitrate.

If the bleeding does not stop,the heat cautery or bipolar diathermy is used to cauterize the bleeder.

If the bleeding point can not be localised and the bleeding is not heavy, the bleeding area can be localised using a nasal endoscope (Hopkin's rod lens) and then bipolar diathermy can be used to cauterize it. If bipolar cautery is not available, then an insulated suction tip can be used that has an uninsulated tip to cauterize the area using monopolar diathermy.