Endovascular surgery for epistaxis
Objective. To show the effectiveness of endovascular treatment for recurrent epistaxis. Material and methods. In our clinic, over the past 5 years, maxillary artery embolization was performed in 21 patients due to recurrent nasal bleeding. Embolization was performed with Contour 250 (350-500 micron) microemboli. Patients' age averaged 71±2.4 years. In 75% of cases the bleeding was from the right maxillary artery. The vast majority (19 patients) were female. Results. In all cases complete occlusion of the maxillary artery was achieved. Twenty patients (95%) were discharged from the clinic in a satisfactory condition. In 1 case, the postoperative period was complicated by pulmonary thromboembolism. In this connection, thrombolytic therapy with Actilyse was performed. Conclusion. Transarterial embolization is a recognized treatment method for recurrent epistaxis. The correct algorithm of angiographic diagnosis and endovascular intervention allows to avoid serious complications associated with possible embolization of nearby organs and tissues.