Epistaxis 2016: national audit of management

Background: Epistaxis is a common condition that can be associated with significant morbidity, and it places a considerable burden on our healthcare system. This national audit of management sought to assess current practice against newly created consensus recommendations and to expand our current evidence base.

Methods: The management of epistaxis patients who met the inclusion criteria, at 113 registered sites across the UK, was compared with audit standards during a 30-day window. Data were further utilised for explorative analysis.

Results: Data for 1826 cases were uploaded to the database, representing 94 per cent of all cases that met the inclusion criteria at participating sites. Sixty-two per cent of patients were successfully treated by ENT clinicians within 24 hours. The 30-day recurrent presentation rate across the dataset was 13.9 per cent. Significant event analysis revealed an all-cause 30-day mortality rate of 3.4 per cent.

Conclusion: Audit findings demonstrate a varying alignment with consensus guidance, with explorative analysis countering some previously well-established tenets of management.