A silicone nasal swab for the treatment of severe and recalcitrant epistaxis in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: An alternative to surgical nostril closure

Background: Epistaxis is the most common symptom in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). In severely affected cases, cessation of the nasal airflow seems to be the only long-term effective treatment. Such procedure deeply affects patient's quality of life (QoL) and is sometimes refused. Methods: This study investigated the effectiveness of a tailored silicone nasal swab on 2 patients affected by HHT and severe epistaxis. Results: In both cases, we observed a good clinical effect, with significant reduction of epistaxis and improved QoL. Conclusions: Our preliminary results indicate that the silicone nasal swab can be considered an effective way of treating severe epistaxis in patients with HHT. Its advantages, in terms of maintained airflow patency, reversibility, and improved QoL, are highlighted. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.