Effects of Nasal Pathologies in Paediatric Epistaxis

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of nasal pathologies in paediatric patients with recurrent epistaxis. Methods: A total of 100 (61 boys, 39 girls) patients aged 2–17 years (mean age: 8.9 ± 3.6 years) were included in this study. Anterior rhinoscopy and flexible nasal endoscopy were used to examine all the patients. The epistaxis duration, treatment in active epistaxis by parents, medical history, medical treatment and interventions were recorded. The location of the epistaxis site, nasal mucosa type, the presence of nasal vestibulitis, nasal septum deviation location and type, adenoid size and the degree of inferior turbinate hypertrophy were recorded. Results: The deviation was present in 31 (62%) patients with recurrent epistaxis and in 14 (28%) patients without epistaxis. The presence of deviation was significantly higher in the epistaxis group than control group (p = 0.001). The nasal mucosa type was friable mucosa in 37 (74%) patients, vascularised mucosa in 11 (22%) patients and friable – vascularised mucosa in 2 (4%) patients in recurrent epistaxis group. A significant relationship was detected between nasal mucosa type and age, the presence of the deviation, deviation location, Mladina type in epistaxis group (p = 0.005, p = 0.004, p = 0.008, p = 0.015). Conclusion: Nasal septum deviation, inferior turbinate hypertrophy and nasal mucosa type are associated with paediatric recurrent epistaxis.