Affiliation:
1. St. Luke’s University Health Network, 801 Ostrum Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA
Abstract
It is estimated that more than 60% of people have epistaxis in their lifetimes, and as such it is a common complaint encountered in emergency medicine. Although epistaxis is usually self-limited and benign, it can occasionally be a sign of serious underlying pathology. We report a case of epistaxis secondary to invasive squamous cell cancer, ultimately leading to pneumocephalus and brain abscess. We recommend a low threshold for neuroimaging in patients with known prior head and neck cancers presenting with epistaxis, as even resolved epistaxis may be related to serious pathology.
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health,Health Policy,Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology