Abstract
Introduction
Epistaxis is a common otorhinolaryngological emergency, usually caused by digital
trauma in children, and hypertension in the elderly. General practitioners in emergency
rooms assist most of the cases without specific management.
Objectives
Describe suitable properties for efficient nasal packing in adult epistaxis.
Methods
Two cadaver heads, preserved by freezing process, were thawed for this research. When
the room temperature was reached, the nasal cavities were evaluated by a nasal endoscope,
which showed a length of 4.0 × 11.0 cm for the male and 4.0 × 8.5 cm for the female
head. Through an orifice made in the left maxillary bone to access the maxillary sinus,
a blue-dyed saline solution was applied using a sphygmomanometer (Premium) to control
and mimic blood pressure. The nasal cavity was first packed with two foams with different
thicknesses and densities evolved by a condom, then packed by the Merocel packing
(Medtronicent Surgical Products Inc.). The pressure was administered and gradually
increased until a saline leak was observed in the oropharynx. The best way to insert
tampons was also evaluated to avoid extensive trauma.
Results
Despite the difficulty of the application being similar in both nasal packings made
with the condom and foam, t33-densityity foam, 2.0 cm thick and 11.0 cm lon resisted
to a higher pressure (250mmHg) than the commercial packing Merocel (220mmHg).
Conclusion
The most suitable foam for packaging wrapped with condoms is 2.0 cm thick, as it supported
the blood pressure commonly found in epistaxis.
Keywords
tampons - epistaxis - hypertension
Bibliographical Record
Flavio Serafini, Isabele Campos Araújo, Flavia Minhoto, Ana Luiza Figueira Santos.
Nasal Foam Packing for Epistaxis: What are the Ideal Characteristics?. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol
2025; 29: s00451809999.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1809999
