Microwave ablation versus silver nitrate cautery for treating recurrent epistaxis in adolescents: A prospective, randomized case-control study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the outcomes of adolescent patients with recurrent anterior epistaxis (RAE) treated with either silver nitrate cauterization or microwave ablation (MWA).

STUDY DESIGN:

and methods: In this prospective, randomized study, one hundred 13-18-year-old adolescents with RAE were assigned to two groups: the MWA group (n = 50) or the silver nitrate cauterization group (n = 50). Both groups were followed up for 12 months. The primary and secondary outcomes were evaluated.

RESULT:

Ablation hemostasis was successfully achieved within 10-20 s in all patients in the MWA group. Eighteen (36.0%) patients in the silver nitrate group had recurrent epistaxis compared to three (6.0%) in the MWA group (P = 0.01) within 2-8 weeks after treatment. Two (2/48, 4.2%) patients in the MWA group had recurrent epistaxis compared to seventeen (17/43, 39.5%) in the silver nitrate group at 6 months; this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.01). However, 8 (8/37, 21.6%) patients in the MWA group had recurrent epistaxis compared to 15 (15/41,36.6%) in the silver nitrate group at 12 months; this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.12). No treatment-related complications, including necrosis or septal perforation were seen in either group during follow up.

CONCLUSIONS:

MWA may be a useful treatment for adolescents with RAE, as it had a lower incidence of recurrent epistaxis within 6 months of treatment compared to silver nitrate cauterization.

• Authors: Zheng-Cai Lou, Fang Hong, Zi-Han Lou
• Journal: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology (Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol) Vol. 121 Pg. 41-45 (Jun 2019) ISSN: 1872-8464 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 30861426 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Anti-Infective Agents, Local
• Silver Nitrate

Topics

• Ablation Techniques
• Adolescent
• Anti-Infective Agents, Local (therapeutic use)
• Cautery
• Epistaxis (therapy)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Microwaves (therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Recurrence
• Silver Nitrate (therapeutic use)