Platinum fibre coils can play a key role in preventing individuals from suffering repeated nosebleeds, it was suggested yesterday (May 27th).

A team of researchers assessed the impact of a minimally invasive technique known as endovascular embolisation on 13 men and seven women suffering from uncontrollable nosebleeds.

The detachable platinum coils were inserted through a fine guide wire or catheter, before expanding in order to block the flow of blood to the internal maxillary artery.

According to the results, which were published in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, 19 of the 20 patients had not witnessed further rebleeding for 30 days after the tests.

In addition, only one of the patients - who were between 35 and 85 years old but had an average age of 63 - reported transient facial pain in the aftermath of the operation.

The authors also claimed that none of the patients suffered from stroke, mini stroke or blindness, which are often associated with surgical attempts to resolve recurring nosebleeds.

Instances of epistaxis, which is the medical term for nosebleeds, are rarely fatal, with just four of the 2.4 million deaths in the US in 1999 being caused in this way.

Source:

Minimally invasive technique staves off recurrent nosebleeds (27/05/10)

© Adfero Ltd