Topical 15% Trichloroacetic Acid Versus Silver Nitrate Cauterization in the Management of Idiopathic Childhood Epistaxis: A Prospective Double-Blinded, Randomized Clinical Trial

Epistaxis is a very distressing complaint in otorhinolaryngology that affects nearly 10-12% of the population worldwide . Epistaxis in children is even more common. Approximately half of the children had one or more episodes of epistaxis by the age of 10 .

The source of epistaxis may be anterior or posterior; in children, epistaxis is commonly anterior, originating mainly from the anterior part of the nasal septum called Little's area, in which a confluence of veins named Kiesselbach's plexus is the main area to blame . Anterior epistaxis is commonly related to local trauma, such as nose picking or crust formation, or local inflammation, such as upper airway infection and vestibulitis, due to bacterial inhabitants that lead to crusting and precipitation of epistaxis episodes.

In the literature, there are various modalities for the treatment of anterior epistaxis, such as nose pinching and anterior nasal packing in emergent cases and medical treatment in between attacks, which are considered first aid, and whenever they fail, we shift to alternative methods that are considered invasive but more effective .

One of the currently utilized modalities that has been shown to be effective in the management of epistaxis is chemical cauterization of the prominent vessels in Little's area . In 1932, Little was the first to introduce the idea of using silver nitrate as a chemical cautery agent in the treatment of anterior epistaxis, which results in coagulation of bleeding vessels and tissue destruction .

Another option for chemical cauterization is trichloroacetic acid (TCA), which causes protein denaturation . Trichloroacetic acid is available, inexpensive, and easy to use as a chemical cautery solution. However, there is not yet adequate evidence in the literature for the use of TCA in the treatment of epistaxis.

Therefore, the invistigators aimed to explore the efficacy of trichloroacetic acid as a chemical cauterization agent and compare it with that of silver nitrate in the treatment of idiopathic epistaxis in children.

Inclusion criteria

• All patients aged between 4 and 16 years at least once weekly in the last 4 weeks with visible anterior bleeding sources either unilateral or bilateral from Little's area were included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• All patients with documented coagulopathy, those with sinonasal or nasopharyngeal masses, those with active rhinosinusitis or severe allergic rhinitis or severe septal deviation