The utility of FloSeal haemostatic agent in the management of epistaxis

Background: FloSeal, a locally applied haemostatic agent, has been shown to be effective in a variety of clinical situations. This study investigated its potential benefits in the management of epistaxis. Methods: The outcomes of a series of patients with epistaxis presenting to one ENT unit, over a two-month period, were compared. Patients were either treated with FloSeal or traditional epistaxis management techniques. Success of FloSeal was classed as complete haemostasis after its application, without the need for further interventions and no readmission with epistaxis within 7 days. Results: Our study comprised 101 adults, with a mean age of 70 years (range, 22-98 years). The overall success rate for FloSeal was 14 per cent (5 out of 36 cases). It was successful in 66 per cent of anterior epistaxis cases (2 out of 3) and in only 9 per cent of posterior epistaxis cases (3 out of 33). There was a significantly higher failure rate of FloSeal compared with nasal packing in posterior epistaxis (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that FloSeal has a limited role in the management of epistaxis.