Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T23:46:52.633Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nasal bacterial carriage in adult epistaxis: is neomycin the answer?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2008

F D L Walker  and
D E C Baring
F D L Walker
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, UK
D E C Baring*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock, Scotland, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr David Baring, Flat 4/3, 314 Meadowside Quay Walk, Glasgow G11 6AY, Scotland, UK. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction:

After treatment of epistaxis, patients are routinely supplied with an intranasal bactericidal cream containing neomycin. Neomycin cream is effective in preventing recurrent paediatric epistaxis. This study aimed to assess whether there is an increased rate of nasal bacterial infections in adult epistaxis patients.

Methods:

Between October 2004 and April 2005, nasal swabs were taken from adult patients presenting with epistaxis, and from a control group comprising elective ENT patients.

Results:

There were 23 controls and 26 epistaxis patients. Staphylococcus aureus was grown in 21 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively. There was no significant difference in bacterial carriage rates between the epistaxis and control groups.

Conclusions:

The epistaxis and control groups demonstrated the same bacterial species and the same proportion of bacterial carriage. Although the majority of bacterial species encountered were sensitive to neomycin, a significant proportion was not. These results do not support the routine use of neomycin in the prevention of recurrent adult epistaxis.

Keywords

EpistaxisBacteriaNeomycin
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 123 , Issue 6 , June 2009 , pp. 623 - 625
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2008

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.)

Footnotes

Presented at the Scottish Otolaryngology Society Winter Meeting, November 2005, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.

References

1 Walker, TWM, Macfarlane, TV, McGarry, GW. The epidemiology and chronobiology of epistaxis: an investigation of Scottish hospital admissions 1995–2004. Clin Otolaryngol 2007;32:361–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2 Petruson, B. Epistaxis in childhood. Rhinology 1979;17:83–90Google ScholarPubMed
3 Stell, PM. Epistaxis. Clin Otolaryngol 1977;2:263–73CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 McGarry, GW, Gatehouse, S, Vernham, G. Idiopathic epistaxis, haemostasis and alcohol. Clin Otolaryngol 1995;20:174–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5 McGarry, GW, Gatehouse, S, Hinnie, J. Relation between alcohol and nosebleeds. BMJ 1994;309:640CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6 O'Donnell, M, Robertson, G, McGarry, GW. A new bipolar diathermy probe for outpatient management of adult acute epistaxis. Clin Otolaryngol 2001;24:537–541CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7 Loghran, S, Hilmi, OJ, McGarry, GW. Endoscopic sphenopalatine artery ligation – when, why and how to do it. An online video tutorial. Clin Otolaryngol 2005;30:539–43CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8 Kubba, H, MacAndie, C, Botma, M, Robison, J, O'Donnell, M, Robertson, G, et al. A prospective, single-blind, randomised controlled trial of antiseptic cream for recurrent epistaxis in childhood. Clin Otolaryngol 2001;26:465–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9 Whymark, AD, Crampsey, DP, Fraser, L, Moore, P, Williams, C, Kubba, H. Childhood epistaxis and nasal colonisation with Staphylococcus aureus. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008;138:307–10CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 Bottone, EJ, Prestia-Reitano, M. Microbial colonisation of mucous membranes. Clin Dermatol 1987;5:157–63CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11 Gluck, U, Gebbers, JO. The nose as bacterial reservoir: important differences between the vestibule and cavity. Laryngoscope 2000;110:426–8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12 Loughran, S, Spinou, E, Clement, WA, Cathcart, R, Kubba, H, Geddes, NK. A prospective single blind, randomised controlled trial of petroleum jelly/Vaseline for recurrent paediatric epistaxis. Clin Otolaryngol 2004;29:266–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13 Ruddy, J, Proops, DW, Pearman, K, Ruddy, H. Interventions for recurrent idiopathic epistaxis in children. Int J Paediatr Otorhinolaryngol 1991;21:139–42CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14 Robertson, S, Kubba, H. The long term effectiveness of antiseptic cream for recurrent epistaxis in childhood – 5 year follow up of a randomised controlled trial. Clin Otolaryngol 2007;32:228–33CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15 Burton, MJ, Doree, CJ. Interventions for recurrent idiopathic epistaxis (nosebleeds) in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2004;(1):CD004461Google Scholar