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Comparison of electro and chemical cautery in the treatment of anterior epistaxis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

J. G. Toner  and
A. P. Walby
J. G. Toner*
Affiliation:
(Belfast)
A. P. Walby
Affiliation:
(Belfast)
*
J. G. Toner F.R.C.S. Ed., Eye and Ear Clinic, Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, Belfast.
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Abstract

In the ENT Department of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, the impression (supported only by anecdotes) was that electro-cautery was superior to chemical cautery in the treatment of simple anterior epistaxis. Since no evaluation of the relative merits of electro and chemical cautery has been reported, a prospective randomized study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of electro-cautery and cautery with silver nitrate. The results of the study showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two methods in either controlling the epistaxis or in the incidence of complications. It is concluded that since cautery with a silver nitrate tipped applicator is simpler, and of equal effectiveness, it would appear to be the treatment of choice for simple anterior epistaxis.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 104 , Issue 8 , August 1990 , pp. 617 - 618
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1990

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References

Shaheen, O. H. (1987) Epistaxis, Chapter 16. In Scott-Brown's Otolaryngology 5th edition, Vol. IV, (Mackay, I. S. and Bull, T. R., eds), Butterworths: London, p 278–280.Google Scholar