Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T00:25:01.628Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A comparative study of calcium sodium alginate (Kaltostat®) and bismuth tribromophenate (xeroform®) packing in the management of epistaxis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

J. A. McGlashan*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Lewisham Hospital and the Moorgate Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London.
R. Walsh
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Lewisham Hospital and the Moorgate Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London.
A. Dauod
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Lewisham Hospital and the Moorgate Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London.
A. Vowles
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Lewisham Hospital and the Moorgate Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London.
M. J. Gleeson
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Lewisham Hospital and the Moorgate Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Guy's Hospital, London.
*
J. A. McGlashan, ENT Department, Guy's Hospital, SE1 9RT.

Abstract

A prospective study was undertaken to compare the efficacy of calcium sodium alginate fibre (Kaltostat®) to petrolatum gauze impregnated with bismuth tribromophenate (Xeroform®) for the control of epistaxes that require hospital admission.

Forty patients presenting with severe epistaxis requiring hospital admission were treated with either Kaltostat®r Xeroform® nasal packs. Allocation to either treatment group was made randomly. The composition of each group in terms of age, sex distribution, aetiology of epistaxis and severity of bleed was not significantly different.

There was no significant difference in the efficacy or patient acceptability of either therapeutic agent. It is concluded that calcium sodium alginate fibre should be considered as an acceptable alternative to traditional gauze packing.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Blair, S. D., Blackhouse, C. M., Harper, R., Matthews, J., McCollum, C. N. (1988) Comparison of absorbable materials for surgical haemostasis. British Journal of Surgery, 75: 969971.Google Scholar
Fairbanks, D. N. F. (1986) Complications of nasal packing. Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, 94: 412415.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hara, H. J. (1962) Severe epistaxis. Archives of Otolaryngology, 75: 258269.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jackson, K. R., Jackson, R. T. (1988) Factors associated with active, refractory epistaxis. Archives of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, 114: 862865.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
John, D. G., Alison, A. I., Scott, D. J. A., McRae, A. R., Allen, M. J. (1987) Who should treat epistaxis? Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 101: 139142.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Martindale (1977) The extra pharmacopoeia. 27th edn.The Pharmaceutical Press, London, p 683.Google Scholar
Shaheen, O. H. (1987) Epistaxis. In Scott-Brown's Otolaryngology (Kerr, A. G., ed.) Vol. 4. Rhinology (Mackay, I. S., Bull, T. R., eds) Butterworths, London, p 272282.Google Scholar
Sirimanna, K. S. (1989) Calcium alginate fibre (Kaltostat® 2 g) for nasal packing after trimming of turbinates—a pilot study. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 103: 10671068.Google Scholar
Stell, P. M. (1977) Epistaxis. Clinical Otolaryngology, 2: 263272.Google Scholar
Thomas, S. (1990) Alginates in wound management and dressings. In Wound management and dressings, 1st edn., The Pharmaceutical Press, London, p 4349.Google Scholar