A randomised clinical trial of antiseptic nasal carrier cream and silver nitrate cautery in the treatment of recurrent anterior epistaxis.

Abstract

Sixty-four consecutive patients with a history of recurrent epistaxis were randomly assigned in the outpatient clinic to receive treatment with either Naseptin antiseptic nasal carrier cream alone (Group A) or a combination of Naseptin cream and silver nitrate cautery (Group B). Results were available on 50 patients, 22 in Group A and 28 in Group B. Twenty patients (91%) in Group A and 25 patients (89%) in Group B demonstrated improvement in their symptoms. There was no statistically significant difference in outcome between the two treatment arms (P = 0.7569). On comparing the different age groups (under and over 16 years) in the two treatment arms, once again there was no statistically significant difference in the treatment outcome (P = 1.000). In conclusion, silver nitrate cautery offers no added advantage to the management of simple epistaxis in both children and adults.

• Authors: P Murthy, E L Nilssen, S Rao, L G McClymont
• Journal: Clinical otolaryngology and allied sciences (Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci) Vol. 24 Issue 3 Pg. 228-31 (Jun 1999) ISSN: 0307-7772 [Print] England
• PMID: 10384851 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Anti-Infective Agents, Local
• Drug Combinations
• Emulsions
• Naseptin
• Silver Nitrate
• Neomycin
• Chlorhexidine

Topics

• Administration, Intranasal
• Administration, Topical
• Adult
• Anti-Infective Agents, Local (therapeutic use)
• Cautery (methods)
• Chlorhexidine (therapeutic use)
• Drug Combinations
• Emulsions
• Epistaxis (therapy)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Male
• Neomycin (therapeutic use)
• Recurrence
• Silver Nitrate (therapeutic use)
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome