Cauterization of the Anterior Ethmoidal Artery by Transconjunctival Approach

The incidence of epistaxis varies from 7 to 14% in the general population and represents 30 per 100,000 emergency room admissions in adults. Most nasal bleeding is self-limiting without the need for specific medical treatment. Cauterization under local anesthesia and control of medical comorbidities (arterial hypertension and hemostasis disorders) are effective in most cases. In case of failure of cauterization or in case of more posterior epistaxis, an antero-posterior packing can be put in place for 48 hours. In case of failure or recurrence of packing removal, endoscopic sphenopalatine artery (SPA) ligation or embolization is proposed. In case of persistent epistaxis despite hemostasis of the PSA, ligation of the anterior ethmoidal artery (AEA) is recommended. This artery cannot be embolized because of the risk to the ophthalmic artery. The ligation of the AEA is most often performed via the external paracanthal approach. It can also be performed by endonasal endoscopic approach but involves the performance of an anterior ethmoidectomy, a long surgery with a significant risk of complications. Its identification by the endonasal route is complicated in the event of abundant bleeding. Moreover, its endoscopic cauterization is difficult if the artery is not procidente. The transconjunctival approach avoids a visible scar and the complications of an ethmoidectomy.

The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy of transconjunctival and external cauterization of the anterior ethmoidal artery in patients with refractory epistaxis