Safety and Efficacy of Transarterial Embolization Therapy in Patients with Uncontrolled Epistaxis: A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to present technical details and outcomes of endovascular treatment of patients who underwent endovascular embolization due to resistant and recurrent epistaxis in our center. Methods: In this study, between January 2014 and January 2020, the patients who underwent endovascular treatment due to epistaxis in the interventional radiology unit at our hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Results: In this study, 4 (25%) female and 12 (75%) male patients were included in 16 patients. The mean age of the patients was 56.6 ± 17.8 years. The etiologies of epistaxis of the patients were as follows; 4 (25%) patients had nasal angiofibroma, 1 (6.2%) patient had larynx carcinoma, 1 (6.2%) patient had nasopharynx carcinoma, 1 (6.2%) patient had aneurysm rupture, 1 (6.2%) patient had epistaxis due to anticoagulant use, 8 (50%) patients had idiopathic epistaxis. In total, endovascular embolization was performed in all 18 procedures performed. In all 16 patients who underwent embolization, 100% technical success was achieved during the procedure, and no complications developed in the follow-up. However, in 2 (12.5%) procedures, embolization therapy was performed for the second time due to recurrent epistaxis after embolization. Conclusions: In resistance and recurrent epistaxis cases, endovascular embolization is an alternative to surgical methods, a treatment method with a low risk of complications and a high success rate.